Oroville man sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to rape charges

An Oroville man will spend 25 years in state prison after pleading guilty to multiple rapes, according to the Butte County District Attorney’s Office.

Nicholas David Snowden was sentenced Friday in a Butte County courtroom for three rapes which took place between February and April, the DA’s office said in a news release. The victims were offered rides and Snowden then drove them to secluded areas before threatening them with a knife before sexually assaulting them, according to the release.

Two of the crimes occurred behind Golden Hills Elementary School. According to the DA’s office, authorities were able to identify Snowden and his vehicle by analyzing surveillance footage after the second and third attacks.

Snowden, 25, was arrested April 30 and pleaded guilty Aug. 27, according to the DA’s office.

One victim addressed the court during the sentencing hearing. She said she dealt with difficulty in moving on from the trauma of her assault after ongoing harassment on social media from Snowden’s family, who accused her and other victims of being prostitutes, according to the DA’s office.

“Social media is a very powerful force in our society, giving people an unprecedented ability to share news and their views,” Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said. “In this case, however, people on social media who were not aware of all the facts spread information about the case that simply wasn’t true.

“None of the victims even knew each other, yet told similar stories of the brutal rapes they endured. Victim blaming was the defendant’s last line of defense. He is a rapist, period.”

Judge Clare Keithley gave Snowden the maximum sentence of 25 years. He must register as a sex offender for life.

This story was originally published October 23, 2019 at 1:56 PM.