News Flash

On Friday August 14, 2020, a Tuolumne County jury convicted Gerald Allen Kraft, 34, of one count of Rape of an Unconscious Person. According to Assistant District Attorney Eric Hovatter, who prosecuted the case, the victim was a then-18-year-old woman who the defendant allowed to sleep on the floor of his room after she had been physically assaulted at a Groveland Park. The rape occurred in October of 2017 when the woman awoke to Kraft having sex with her. He eventually stopped when she moved her body, and she left the house later that morning. Over a period of several days after the rape the woman communicated with Kraft via text message asking him why he raped her after she had repeatedly refused his advances. In response to several of the messages accusing him of the act, the defendant said he “didn’t know why” and that he had
“f’d up.” Those messages, captured in photographs by a Tuolumne County Sheriff’s deputy when the woman reported a week later, were shown to the jury during the trial. Significantly, Kraft’s phone was later seized by deputies and the contents examined. Also shown to the jury was a printout of the messages present on his phone and several of his most incriminating responses had been deleted by Kraft. The jury was out less than 90 minutes before returning the guilty verdict. Sentencing is set for later this month and faces up to eight years in state prison. He will also have to register as a sex offender.

For more information Contact:

Eric Hovatter, Assistant District Attorney

Phone: (209) 588-5450