Porterville man faces 138 years to life in prison after elder abuse, rape convictions

A jury convicted 41-year-old Kory Tapia on Thursday on a wide varieties of charges related to the rape of an 87-year-old woman in Porterville in 2016.

The charges included two counts of forcible rape, two counts of forcible oral copulation, one count of sexual penetration by a foreign object, one count of elder abuse, one count of false imprisonment of an elder, one count of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of possession of child pornography, according to a news release from the Office of the District Attorney County of Tulare.

The charges were enhanced with special allegations of burglary with the intent to commit a sex offense and use of a deadly weapon.

“I cannot imagine anything more horrific than what the victim in this case endured,” District Attorney Tim Ward said in the release.

“Law enforcement and prosecutors should be commended for taking this predator off the streets.”

Tapia assaulted the woman while she was sleeping in her home on the night of Oct. 29, 2016. During the assault he placed a pillow over her face. When she fought back, he punched her in the face.

Tapia was arrested in November 2016 after the California Department of Justice obtained a CODIS match to DNA left at the scene.

He has multiple prior convictions, including lewd conduct and peeping, according to the district attorney.

His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 7, where he faces 138 years to life in prison.