A Butte County jury convicted a former St. Helena resident last week of raping his girlfriend in Chico.

Alexander Rolando Solis, 22, faces up to 27 years in prison for raping his girlfriend three times at her residence in October 2008 following an argument between the two, said Brent Redelsperger, Butte County Supervising deputy district attorney.

Solis, who grew up and attended several high schools in Napa County, described the encounter as consensual.

Solis was charged with three counts of forcible rape, two other sexual assault counts and two counts of receiving stolen property.

The latter charge was because Solis was accused of stealing a lap top computer from Chico State University, where the victim attended school.

After about four hours of deliberation, the jury convicted Solis  on Friday of the rape charges and receiving stolen property, but acquitted him on the additional two sex offenses.

Redelsperger said he pleased with the jury’s decision. Its verdict ensures that Solis will go to prison for his crimes.

"This was a very controlling, physically, verbally abusive type of person,” he said.

The victim, who was 21 at the time of the incidents, testified for several hours at trial.

Redelsperger said she was brave to step up and tell her story. “It’s really unfortunately rare that someone will stand up and be able to do it, and she came across as entirely believable,” he said.

The injuries she suffered also verified her account of events, Redelsperger said. Police also had the victim make a “pretext” phone call, where the victim called Solis while police listened in. Solis made several incriminating statements during that phone call, Redelsperger said.

According to testimony, Solis arrived at her residence drunk at 2:30 a.m. on the day of the crime. She tried to make him leave, but he refused.

Her roommate intervened and Solis ended up sleeping on the couch.

The next morning, Solis came into the victim’s bedroom and sexually assaulted her several times.

He then threatened to hurt her with a pair of scissors if she didn’t give him a ride home, Redelsperger said.

She told jurors Solis had physically abused her previously, but that he was always apologetic afterwards, he said.

Solis testified that the victim was angry at him because he told her he was going to move back to St. Helena, said Solis’ Sacramento-based attorney Gary Talesfore. She was also jealous over a phone call he received from an ex-girlfriend, he said, adding that the victim admitted to kicking and dragging Solis is a fight the previous day.

Witnesses testified that she was the one who stole the laptop and Solis helped sell it, he said. Yet prosecutors aren’t pursuing charges against her, he said.

Talesfore said he was disappointed at the jury’s decision.