Ex-NFL Star Dana Stubblefield Sentenced to 15 Years to Life in Prison for Rape

Paul Sakuma/Associated Press

Former NFL defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield was sentenced Thursday to 15 years to life in prison after being convicted in July of forcible rape while using a gun. 

The Santa Clara County District Attorney's office confirmed the news to Peter Snarr of KRON4.

Stubblefield was convicted in a jury trial on three charges—rape by force using a firearm, oral copulation by force and false imprisonment—July 27 after prosecutors argued he lured a developmentally disabled woman to his home for a babysitting job and raped her in April 2015, per CNN.

Santa Clara County district attorney Jeff Rosen released a statement about the verdict:

"This was a triumph of resilience. The victim has struggled her whole life with learning disabilities and challenges to be self-sufficient. If we are not fighting for her, then who are we fighting for? It has been a long road for this remarkable woman and we are thankful to the jury for providing her some closure and, for our community, justice after an unconscionable and violent crime."

Allen Sawyer, Stubblefield's attorney, told CNN they plan to appeal the ruling based on delays in the case caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

"It was very difficult for jurors to try to recall what evidence was presented months ago," Sawyer said. "The jury was in panel in January and it stopped for two months because of COVID, then it stopped again for weeks on time."

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Stubblefield, who said in 2016 he was "completely innocent," argued the sex was consensual, per TMZ.

The 49-year-old Ohio native was selected in the first round of the 1993 draft by the San Francisco 49ers. The University of Kansas product also played for the Washington Football Team, Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots during a 12-year pro career.

Stubblefield, the 1997 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, retired in 2004.