A San Francisco man was found guilty for a 2018 sexual assault of a 70-year-old woman, the San Francisco District Attorney announced. Mohamad Alajtal, aged 40, faced a jury trial that ended in his conviction of one count of assault with intent to commit sexual penetration of an unconscious person and two counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person, according to a press release from the District Attorney's Office.
During the trial, evidence emerged that on October 24, 2018, the victim believed she was experiencing a vivid nightmare when she felt someone's finger in her vagina and anus. She quickly discovered it was no dream when she saw Alajtal beside her bed. The details paint a horrifying picture: Alajtal, who is a relative, tried to quickly brush off the incident as a search for his phone, but the victim's immediate scream led to his undoing. "I would like to thank the jury for their service in this case," District Attorney Brooke Jenkins stated, "The jury’s verdict holds Mr. Alajtal accountable for his reprehensible violation and assault of the victim in this case – who bravely came forward to report this crime."
San Francisco Police arrived moments after the 911 call, with subsequent hospital analysis at the San Francisco General Hospital's Rape Trauma Center confirming the assault through evidence of digital penetration. Moreover, the victim's DNA was found on Alajtal's fingers. Assistant District Attorney Jamal Anderson successfully prosecuted the case, noting that the community had waited over five years for justice, attributing victory to the jury's resolve and the extraordinary bravery shown by the victim.
Alajtal, now remanded into custody, awaits sentencing which is scheduled on May 21. He faces up to a decade behind bars and is mandated to forever register as a sex offender. "For more than five years the victim and her family have waited for justice in this case and with this verdict the jurors have provided just that," Anderson told to convey the weight of the long-winded legal battle, highlighting the prosecutors' reliance on the thorough work of the San Francisco Police Department's Special Victim's Unit.
In light of this case, the District Attorney's Office urged those in need of support to seek help, providing contact information for various support services, including San Francisco Women Against Rape, Rape Trauma Services, and the National Network of Rape, Abuse and Incest (RAINN), among others.
