Winnie-the-Pooh helped convict him. Now this rapist may never get out of prison

A man whose tattoo of Winnie-the-Pooh gave him away to police seems destined to spend the rest of his life in prison for forcible rape.

Joseph Velasquez, 28, of Tulare was sentenced Friday to 150 years to life in prison by Superior Court Judge Gary Paden, the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office said.

On April 28, Velasquez was found guilty of forcible rape, two counts of sexual penetration with a foreign object, three counts of oral copulation by force, fear or duress, sodomy by force, assault with intent to commit a forcible sex act during a burglary, and first-degree burglary with someone present.

The jury also found true the special allegation that Velasquez committed the burglary with intent to commit a forcible sex offense.

In July 2014, Velasquez knocked on the door of a Tulare home and asked the female victim, who was alone and didn’t know him, for water and an aspirin. He was wearing an ankle monitor, the District Attorney’s Office said.

He forced his way in, locked the door and sexually assaulted and raped the victim. He was arrested in Hanford the next day and was identified by his tattoos, including one of Winnie-the-Pooh.

Velasquez must also register as a sex offender for life.

This story was originally published June 12, 2017 at 4:39 PM with the headline "Winnie-the-Pooh helped convict him. Now this rapist may never get out of prison."