An alleged ChristianMingle.com rapist who was arrested on Feb. 11, 2013, stood trial yet again on Monday for sexually assaulting two women from San Diego, Calif.
However, another woman has come forward with new accusations that may substantiate his pattern of bad behavior.
Sean Patrick Banks, 38, was charged with five felony charges last year, including raping a drunken person in 2009 without their consent, forcible rape in 2012, and dissuading a woman from communicating with police.
Witnesses in the March 2013 court trial say that Banks used pseudonyms like “Rylan Butterwood” and “Rylan Harbough” to lure in his victims.
One of the victims, identified as “K.K.,” testified last year that after talking with “Rylan” on ChristianMingle.com they met for the first time on Nov. 21, 2012. The woman shared that while sitting in her living room, Banks continuously touched her inappropriately before finally forcing her into the bedroom where she was sexually assaulted.
Victoria Kinney, former Miss California 2012, also came forward admitting that she met Banks on the dating site but never met him in person, although they kept in contact through text message. After Banks told Kinney that he was arrested for assault and to not speak to the police, the pageant queen uncomfortably removed herself from further contact with him. Her attorney clarified that her motive was to not press charges but instead inspire other victims to come forward.
Now a woman by the name of L.J shared her story with the El Cajon Superior Court on Monday on how her and Banks met off the the dating site in 2009 and then eventually met in person at a New York hotel. It wasn’t until July 2010 that the then 25-year-old woman said that Banks made inappropriate moves on her in a London Hotel.
The woman said that she initially liked Banks because he appeared to be a nice-looking Christian man. However, his actions showed different.
“I had never been touched like that before and I didn’t want to be touched like that,” she said.
Banks, who flew L.J out to London, cussed at the woman and refused to pay for her hotel room as originally planned. L.J said that he bitterly stated that she was “just like all the girls in the world.”
Banks’ past online dating victims were found to not exclusively come from ChristianMingle.com.
If convicted, Banks faces 44 years to life in prison. His next trial is set for June 9.