LOS ANGELES—A former deputy U.S. marshal from Glendora was sentenced June 30 to 10 years and one month in federal prison for framing his ex-girlfriend for sexual assault in an apparent effort to gain sole ownership of a condo they purchased together.
Because of the scheme run by Ian R. Diaz, 45, and his then-wife, the ex-girlfriend—identified in court documents as Jane Doe—spent almost three months in jail, according to prosecutors. The scheming couple had posed online as Jane Doe and sent themselves harassing and threatening messages.
Diaz was found guilty by a Los Angeles jury in March of conspiracy to commit cyberstalking, cyberstalking, perjury, and obstruction. His former wife was not charged by federal prosecutors, but was sentenced to five years in state prison after pleading guilty in state court to related charges, officials said.
Evidence showed that Diaz and his then-wife solicited and lured men found through Craigslist personal advertisements to engage in so-called “rape fantasies” in an attempt to stage a purported sexual assault orchestrated by the ex-girlfriend.
Diaz then reported the threats to local law enforcement, falsely claiming that Jane Doe posed a genuine and serious threat to his wife. Their actions caused local law enforcement to arrest, charge, and hold the former girlfriend in jail for nearly three months for conduct for which Diaz and his then-wife framed her.
According to the indictment, Diaz and Jane Doe purchased the Anaheim condo in 2015 but soon broke up and the woman moved out. Diaz remained and eventually married the woman with whom he conspired, according to court documents.
Diaz and the ex-girlfriend fought over the condo, and in May 2016, he and his then-wife began plotting to gain control of the condo, prosecutors said.
