6-year prison sentence in Truckee rape case

A Truckee man is going to prison for six years for raping a woman last fall.

James Russell Ferrigno

James Russell Ferrigno, 32, pleaded guilty earlier this year to using an intoxicating substance before raping his roommate.

The victim was renting a room from Ferrigno on a platonic basis. She told police she suspected Ferrigno of putting a substance in her drink at night, which led her to set up a camera in the kitchen.

The victim was at the May 8 sentencing. She presented the court with a written statement: “I know that whenever Jim is eventually released out of custody, my life will change again. The sense of security I get from knowing he is behind bars will only last so long.”

— Lake Tahoe News staff report