Men were allegedly raped by others while they were unconscious – then shown video
A man accused of drugging and raping multiple men during a seven-year stretch starting in 2007 has pleaded not guilty to 41 felony counts related to the victim accusations, per the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.
As reported in the Mercury News:
“Prosecutors say that Joseph Courtney, 31, of Pacifica, met three different men for consensual sex and allegedly ended up drugging them into unconsciousness before raping them. Courtney allegedly raped the men along with “unidentified male associates,” according to prosecutors.
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On at least one occasion, after regaining consciousness, the victim was allegedly shown a video recording of multiple men engaged in sex with him while he was passed out, prosecutors said.
One of the men who saw such a recording of himself reported the alleged rape to Pacifica police, said District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.”
Additionally, Courtney allegedly raped the men in full knowledge that he has AIDS, according to Wagstaffe.
Courtney’s lawyer, Steve Chase, said all of the sex his client engaged in was completely consensual and that his client denies ever having sex while any of the men were unconscious.
Per local reporting, the alleged victims involved in the case met Courtney on gay dating apps or gay focused websites. Chase also claims his client’s accusers knew they were meeting for the purposes of sex and to use drugs.
“This case is so beyond the pale of the normal criminal case,” Chase said. “It is a different world that these men are in.”
Courtney has been charged with 41 counts of sodomy by force, sodomy of an unconscious person, continuous sexual assault and drugging his alleged victims.
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Due to “multiple victim” enhancement to the charges, Courtney faces 15 or 20 years to life in prison for each count District Attorney Wagstaffe .
Courtney is scheduled to appear in San Mateo County Superior Court in Redwood City on July 31 for the start of his jury trail.
