Trigger Warning: Rape

Jury Convicts Man of Raping Woman at Their Job in 2023

NORFOLK, Va. — A jury found Eric Figueroa Rodriguez, 35, guilty on Friday, Oct. 11, of raping a woman — his employee and longtime friend — while at a job site last year.

On May 1, 2023, Mr. Figueroa Rodriguez and the victim were at work painting an apartment in Norfolk. Mr. Figueroa Rodriguez had propositioned the victim multiple times, and when the victim refused them on this day, Mr. Figueroa Rodriguez forcibly raped her, ejaculating inside her. The victim confronted Mr. Figueroa Rodriguez shortly afterwards in a phone call, and he apologized to her, claiming he could not help himself, and admitted to having ejaculated inside her. After speaking with family and friends, the victim underwent a sexual assault nurse examination, and sperm was found that forensic testing showed to have a high probability of belonging to Mr. Figueroa Rodriguez.

Mr. Figueroa Rodriguez was charged with rape and forcible sodomy, to which he pleaded not guilty and requested to be tried by a jury. In June, a jury found Mr. Figueroa Rodriguez not guilty of sodomy and could not reach a unanimous verdict on the charge of rape.

On Thursday, the Commonwealth proceeded with a second jury trial against Mr. Figueroa Rodriguez on the rape charge. After 20 minutes of deliberation on Friday, the jury unanimously found Mr. Figueroa Rodriguez guilty of rape. Judge Jamilah D. LeCruise set Mr. Figueroa Rodriguez’s sentencing hearing on Dec. 20.

“I cannot express my appreciation strongly enough to the survivor of Mr. Figueroa Rodriguez’s crime,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “The survivor suffered through Mr. Figueroa Rodriguez’s rape itself, and then not one but two jury trials, where she had to recount her suffering. She has been incredibly strong, and we are grateful to her for helping us hold Mr. Figueroa Rodriguez accountable for his violent crime. I wish her peace as she moves on from this crime, and at sentencing we will seek a sentence fitting of Mr. Figueroa Rodriguez’s crime.” 

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorneys Anthony J. Comento and Chandler W. Holcomb are prosecuting Mr. Figueroa Rodriguez’s case, former Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Gordon C. Ufkes tried Mr. Figueroa Rodriguez’s first jury with Mr. Holcomb, and Norfolk Police Detective Jason E. Myers led the investigation. Additionally, the Commonwealth would like to thank Chesapeake Forensic Specialists, whose SANE nurse performed the exam in this case, for their efforts in caring for the victim and twice providing testimony at trial.

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