Linda man sentenced for rapes

A Linda man will serve up to 18 years in prison after being convicted of forceable lewd and lascivious act on a minor, and forceable rape on a woman in 2013.

Gunner McDaniel, 25, was arrested Jan. 5 on suspicion of five felony offenses for aggravated sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl on Christmas day in 2016.

While in custody for the sexual abuse charges on the minor, two women alleged McDaniel had sexually assaulted them in the past. The women were interviewed by detectives with the Yuba County Sheriff’s Office and five additional charges of forceable rape, stemming from incidents in 2012 and 2013, were added.

Detectives were able to identify the victims after they had commented on a social media post regarding McDaniel’s initial arrest in January.

McDaniel pleaded no contest to one count of committing forceable lewd and lascivious acts on an 11year-old girl, and to one count of forceable rape. The maximum term for the first count is 10 years, and the maximum term for the second count is eight years.

Because the crimes were committed on separate occasions and involved different individuals, Yuba County Superior Court Judge Julia Scrogin took the county probation department’s recommendation that McDaniel serve consecutive terms for the charges and not concurrent terms.

Yuba County Deputy District Attorney Shiloh Sorbello said the other eight counts were dismissed with McDaniel’s plea. He pleaded no contest to charges from two of the three victims. “For the third victim, McDaniel gave a Harvey Waiver for any type of restitution imposed by the court or anything like that,” Sorbello said.

When a defendant agrees to a Harvey Waiver, they aren’t necessarily admitting to a crime, rather they acknowledge that a court can impose terms and be required to pay restitution, Sorbello said.

Sorbello said McDaniel will be required to serve 85 percent of the term before being eligible for an early release from state prison. Once released, McDaniel will serve 20 years of probation and will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

The Theater Gallery in Yuba City is having two events on separate dates, a Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony April 4 and an artist reception April 6. Incorrect information was published Sunday in Business Briefs.