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'A. M. rapist' looking at 75 years to life in California

Lengthy sentence causes Arlington Hts. police to table prosecution of local case

Stephen D. Richardson, the Arlington Heights resident known in San Diego as the "A.M. rapist," has pleaded guilty to raping five women in California and will be sentenced to 75 years to life in April, Elizabeth McClutchey, deputy district attorney for San Diego County, said Monday.

Given the lengthy prison sentence, Arlington Heights police said they will not pursue a case against Richardson for a 2003 rape that is tied to him through DNA.

"We do have a warrant on him," said Sgt Mike Hernandez. "If he's paroled or released for any reason the State's Attorney would review the case for the approval of the charges.

"Our victim was apprised of everything going on, and she is on board," he added. "If anything unusual happened in San Diego she is willing to go to trial."

Arlington Heights police have only that one case tied to Richardson and do not believe any unsolved rapes in surrounding communities are tied to him, said Hernandez.

Richardson was in San Diego serving in the U.S. Navy in 2000 and 2001, when the five forcible rapes occurred, said McClutchey.

The California agreement stipulates a sentence of 75 years to life in prison, said McClutchey, and San Diego Superior Court was involved in the negotiations. His sentencing is April 23.

"Under California law at the time of his crimes in 2000 and 2001 he must serve 85 percent of the sentence before being eligible for parole," she said. "According to my calculations that means he will serve just shy of 64 years. Since he is 34 years old he will be 97 or 98 before being first eligible for parole."

If convicted at trial Richardson could have faced up to 250 years to life.

"We were satisfied that with 75 years to life it is essentially guaranteed he would never be released," said McClutchey.

When San Diego authorities were seeking a perpetrator the criminal was dubbed the "A.M. Rapist" because the incidents took place in San Diego neighborhoods during the late evening or early morning hours.

Several additional crimes were associated with each rape, but they were dismissed, said the prosecutor.

In 2005 authorities tied DNA from one of the San Diego crimes to the 2003 rape in Arlington Heights, said San Diego police Lt. Rick O'Hanlon. At that time neither department had a suspect's name to link with the DNA.

San Diego police also recovered a partial print at one of the 2000 crime scenes, said O'Hanlon. With technological enhancements a breakthrough came when authorities turned up Richardson's name and residence last summer.

Richardson, who was married at the time of his arrest in August 2009, moved to Arlington Heights in May 2009, but lived elsewhere in the Chicago suburbs area for about six years total, said Hernandez.