Oceano man convicted of rape and assault of ex-wife

June 13, 2024

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

A San Luis Obispo County jury has convicted an Oceano man of committing numerous crimes against his ex-wife, including rape and assault.

On the evening of March 5, 2020, Bryce Littlejohns, 45, attacked his former spouse in her home. Littlejohns punched, tackled, kicked and threw his ex-wife into walls, causing severe bruising to her face, arms and legs, according to the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office. 

During the hours-long assault, the Oceano man raped the victim and committed forcible oral copulation, attempting to inflict his power and control over her. At one point, he strangled his ex-wife while threatening to kill her.

When the victim finally recognized an opportunity to call 911, Littlejohns took the phone from her hands and destroyed it. 

The assault continued until the next morning. Throughout the attack, an 8-year-old child was present in the home.

Eventually, in the morning, law enforcement personnel arrived. Littlejohns did not cooperate with sheriff’s deputies, though. He assaulted deputies and threw K-9 “Benny” down a flight of stairs while resisting multiple arrest attempts.

The jury convicted Littlejohns of rape, forced oral copulation, criminal threats, dissuading a witness from reporting a crime, assault likely to inflict great bodily injury and felony domestic abuse. Jurors also convicted Littlejohns of resisting an executive officer by force, resisting, obstructing or delaying a peace officer, unlawful firearm activity, violating a court issued restraining order and assault on a police animal. 

In February, a separate jury convicted Littlejohns of misdemeanor spousal abuse stemming from a Nov. 14, 2019 incident involving his ex-wife. 

Littlejohns’s sentencing hearing for both cases is scheduled for July 23. He faces a maximum sentence of more than 23 years in state prison. Littlejohns will remain in custody as he awaits sentencing.

“The victim-survivor was very courageous in coming forward and testifying to what the defendant did to her,” District Attorney Dan Dow said in a statement. “We are grateful for the good Samaritan neighbor who called 9-1-1 at the request of the victim after the defendant destroyed her phone. If anyone reading this is in an abusive relationship, I want to encourage them to reach out for help. Tell a friend, report to law enforcement or seek the assistance of support groups like Lumina Alliance.”