VENTURA, Calif. — A convicted rapist from Ojai faces nearly three decades of additional prison time after changing his plea to guilty in a felony sexual assault case involving two separate victims, county prosecutors announced.
The guilty plea was announced by Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko following court proceedings in Ventura County Superior Court. Click here to view the official Ventura County District Attorney's Office press release regarding the guilty plea of Jaden Joseph Pullen.
Authorities identified the defendant as 28-year-old Jaden Joseph Pullen (born January 30, 1998), a resident of Ojai.
Pullen entered his guilty pleas under Ventura County Superior Court case number 2024010232. He pled guilty to five felony counts, including two counts of forcible rape, and admitted to an aggravating court allegation of engaging in violent conduct.
2018 Ojai Assaults and Subsequent 2020 Disclosure
According to court filings and prosecution summaries released by the District Attorney's Office, the sexual assaults occurred in 2018 at a residence Pullen shared with one of the victims in the City of Ojai.
Investigators confirmed that Pullen was personally known to both victims prior to the attacks.
The two victims originally came forward to law enforcement in 2020 after learning that Pullen had been convicted in a separate criminal trial of forcible rape and sodomy by force against another victim.
Their disclosures led to a secondary investigation by county detectives and prosecutors assigned to the District Attorney’s Office Sexual Assault Unit, culminating in formal felony indictments.
Guilty Plea, Prosecution Statement, and Potential Prison Sentence
Senior Deputy District Attorney Twyla Atmore, a prosecutor with the District Attorney’s Office Sexual Assault Unit, led the prosecution against Pullen.
Atmore noted that the change of plea provides closure and spares both victims from the emotional strain of testifying during a public trial.
"Though the victims still live with the trauma of what the defendant did to them, his guilty plea today will at least spare them from having to relive the assaults on the stand," stated Senior Deputy District Attorney Twyla Atmore in an official release.
Pullen pled guilty to the following formal felony charges under the California Penal Code:
- Two Counts of PC 261(a)(2): Forcible Rape (Felony)
- PC 287(c)(2)(C): Forcible Oral Copulation on a Minor Over 14 (Felony)
- PC 288a(b)(1): Oral Copulation of a Person Under 18 (Felony)
- PC 261.5(c): Unlawful Sexual Intercourse (Felony)
Additionally, Pullen formally admitted to a statutory aggravating sentencing factor:
- CRC 4.421(b)(1): Engagement in Violent Conduct Indicating Serious Danger to Society
Superior Court judges have scheduled Pullen's formal sentencing hearing for November 16, 2026. He faces a maximum possible sentence of 27 years and 4 months in California state prison. Official press advisories can be accessed on the Ventura County District Attorney's Office Newsroom.
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Published: Sep 22, 2026. No major post-publication update has been logged.
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