SLO jury convicts man of robbing and raping prostitutes

March 11, 2016
Gregory Arthur Erwin

Gregory Arthur Erwin

A 52-year-old Santa Maria man has been convicted of raping and robbing women at gunpoint. His victims were prostitutes.

On March 14, 2013, Gregory Arthur Erwin raped and robbed a woman at the San Luis Inn and Suites in San Luis Obispo. Erwin agreed to meet the victim at her hotel room sometime after midnight. When he arrived, he sexually assaulted her, stole cash from her purse and fled.

While assaulting her, Erwin allegedly pointed a handgun at the woman and threatened to kill her. The victim reported Erwin’s license plate number to police and San Luis Obispo officers arrested him.

Investigators later determined Erwin also raped and robbed a prostitute in Pismo Beach. That incident occurred on March 14, 2013, according to the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office.

On Thursday, a San Luis Obispo jury convicted Erwin, a former felon, of 11 criminal counts. The convictions include two counts of forcible rape with personal use of a firearm and two counts of forcible oral copulation with personal use of a firearm.

Erwin was also convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon. He pleaded guilty to that charge.

The Santa Maria man now faces a prison sentence of at least 100 years. Four of the charges and enhancements of which he was convicted carry mandatory sentences of 25 years to life in prison.

Prosecutors say the crimes likely would have gone unsolved if one of the victims had not bravely followed the defendant while calling 911.

“These verdicts are an important step to bring justice for the two young women who were the victims of Mr. Erwin’s vicious conduct in this case,” San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow said.

Erwin’s sentencing is scheduled for April 7 at San Luis Obispo Superior Court.


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total dirt bag


100 years in the clinker for a lowlife, but next to no punishment for the white collar thieves from north county who swindled $30 million? Why the double standard?


So if he first paid for sex first, then robbed the prostitute afterward, would he still face rape charges?


No, but he would have the charges for solicitation for sex etc…along with the robbery and gun charges. Although this guy wasn’t in it for paid sex. Violent , sick rapist.


He “Wasn’t in it” ? Sounds like he was.


Seemingly, the only way you can rape a prostitute is by not paying her.


Since it was known that the two women in this story were prostitutes, by calling them as such, did the police then arrest them under the California prostitution law; Penal Code 647(b) PC? Merely agreeing upon the phone to exchange sex for money, no matter how it is done, is solicitation, and is against the law in California.


Furthermore, the dichotomy of saying one brings justice to two law breaking prostitutes is entertaining. The fact is they should have been arrested along Gregory Arthur Erwin, then justice is really served to the people for the two prostitutes breaking the law.


At least true Christians can gain solace in knowing that our loving and forgiving Yahweh god will have these two whores of Babylon burning in the sulfur lakes of hell upon their demise, praise!


“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)


What ever happened to Citizen of the Year Lenny Jones accused of molestation of a child?