Santa Barbara Attorney Faces Felony Rape Charges, Pleads Not Guilty

According to reporting by Tyler Hayden of the Santa Barbara Independent, Andrew Alire, a Santa Barbara attorney, has pleaded not guilty to felony sexual assault charges, including the rape of a drugged victim and oral copulation by intoxication.

Alire, 40, appeared in the Santa Barbara Superior Court on Monday, June 30, 2025, to enter his plea. He had been arrested in March after a two month-long investigation into the allegations of drugging and raping a woman he met through a social meetup app. Since then, a second survivor has come forward with similar allegations.

Highlights

• Andrew Alire, an attorney registered under the State Bar of California, has been charged with a sexual assault felony.
• One Jane Doe alleges Alire drugged and raped her on January 15, 2025.
• A second victim has also come forward to share her experiences with Alire.

More Than One Survivor Has Come Forward with Allegations of Sexual Misconduct

The first survivor, who has been identified as Jane Doe, told the police that she lost consciousness after playing darts and sharing drinks with Alire at a bar in downtown Santa Barbara on January 15, 2025. She later woke up at Alire’s residence, where she stated that he was attempting to assault her. Alire was arrested on March 17, 2025, and released shortly after on a $100,000 bail.

The Independent reports a second woman also came forward with her experience of memory loss while on a date with Alire. She said she suspects she was sexually assaulted during the encounter.

Alire was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2012 and previously worked for the Santa Barbara County Public Defender’s Office. Subsequently, he started his own practice. He remains an active attorney, albeit with a ‘consumer alert’ notice on his publicly accessible attorney profile that indicates that he is currently facing felony charges. His next court appearance is scheduled for August 25, 2025.