Convicted rapist who preyed on women at America's top party school faces reckoning after courthouse dash

A former UC Santa Barbara student convicted of raping and sexually assaulting multiple women will spend at least three decades behind bars, capping a yearslong prosecution involving disturbing allegations of sexual violence at one of America's top party schools.

Arian Eteghaei, 24, was sentenced to 30 years to life in California state prison after a jury found him guilty of forcible rape and forcible sexual penetration, but not before authorities say he made a brazen run for freedom, bolting from courthouse custody moments after his conviction.

His sentencing comes amid renewed scrutiny over sexual violence at UC Santa Barbara, which has been ranked the nation's top party school by Niche for the past two years.

Eteghaei's case adds to those concerns.

He was also convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence, while jurors found true a special allegation that the sexual offenses were committed against more than one victim.

AMERICA'S TOP PARTY COLLEGE HIT BY ANOTHER SEX ATTACK WEEKS AFTER BRUTAL CAMPUS RAPE CASE "This case would not have been possible without the extraordinary courage of the victims who came forward and participated in a long and difficult legal process," Santa Barbara County District Attorney John T.

Savrnoch said.

"Their strength and willingness to testify allowed the truth to be heard and ultimately allowed the defendant to be held accountable for the serious harm he caused." Authorities say Eteghaei escaped by force while in custody on Jan.

16, the same day the jury returned its verdict.

The alleged escape landed Eteghaei another felony case, with prosecutors charging him in March with one count of escape by force.

STUDENTS AT TOP PARTY COLLEGE ON EDGE AFTER RAPE, STRANGULATION REPORTED IN CAMPUS HOUSING Eteghaei's sexual assault prosecution stretched back years and centered on crimes committed while he was a student at UC Santa Barbara.

"This case required years of persistence, careful investigation , and tremendous support for the victims," Savrnoch said.

"The collective work of this team exemplifies the commitment of law enforcement, prosecutors, investigators, and victim advocates to seeking justice for survivors of sexual violence." Campus crime data previously reviewed by Fox News Digital show more than 100 reported rapes between 2022 and 2024, while two separate sexual assault reports this spring and summer prompted campus-wide warnings and heightened concerns about student safety.

In June, UC Santa Barbara police issued a campus-wide Timely Warning after a woman reported being stalked and groped in broad daylight near Tierra De Fortuna Park.