Former San Francisco 49ers star Dana Stubblefield was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison on Thursday after being found guilty of raping a woman he had interviewed for a babysitting job, according to The Mercury News’ Robert Salonga.
The sentence was reportedly issued after Judge Arthur Bocanegra denied a defense motion for a new trial. The Sixth District Court of Appeal has also reportedly denied a petition from Stubblefield’s legal team.
In July, a jury found Stubblefield guilty of rape by force, oral copulation by force, false imprisonment and also determined he used a gun in the act. He was found not guilty on a charge of rape of a person incapable of giving consent.
Stubblefield’s accuser, identified as Jane Doe, said that she went to his home to interview for a babysitting job on April 9, 2015. She claimed that Stubblefield texted her after she left the initial interview that he would like to pay her for her trip. When she returned, she said he gave her $80, then locked the door, carried her to a first-floor bedroom and assaulted her.
Police have reportedly obtained texts backing that account.
Prosecution reportedly portrayed Doe as intellectually disabled and incapable of providing consent to sex, the latter of which was apparently denied by the jury. Stubblefield’s defense team reportedly disputed the prosecution’s timeline and contended that Doe was returning to Stubblefield’s home for a paid sexual encounter.
Two women also reportedly testified in the trial claiming to have been assaulted by Stubblefield, though those claims resulted in no charges due to issues with statutes of limitation and jurisdiction.
A member of the Niners’ 1995 Super Bowl championship team, Stubblefield spent seven years across two stints in San Francisco. He earned Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 1993, then Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1997.
Stubblefield’s career ended in 2004, with 53.5 career sacks and 434 tackles. He played for three teams other than the Niners. He was among those who pleaded guilty in 2009 to lying to federal investigators about taking performance-enhancing drugs amid the BALCO scandal.