Ex-NFL star Dana Stubblefield convicted of rape, facing life in prison

Former All-Pro defensive lineman Dana Stubblefield was found guilty of rape on Monday stemming from a sexual assault that took place years ago.

Stubblefield, 49, was convicted by a Santa Clara County jury following a nine-month trial. Prosecutors say he lured a then-31-year-old woman with developmental disabilities to his home on April 9, 2015, by offering her a babysitting job. A jury determined that Stubblefield was guilty of rape by force, oral copulation by force and false imprisonment. He also used a gun during the assault.

According to ESPN, prosecutors said Stubblefield contacted the woman through a babysitting website and scheduled an interview with her at his home in Morgan Hill. He interviewed her for about 20 minutes before she left. Stubblefield then texted her later in the day and said he wanted to pay her for her time. The former San Francisco 49ers raped the woman when she returned and gave her $80. The victim reported the rape to police that day and gave investigators the money.

Stubblefield’s attorneys argued that the intercourse was consensual and a “paid encounter for sex.” Stubblefield is facing 15 years to life in prison.

A first-round pick in 1993, Stubblefield was a three-time Pro Bowler and won a Super Bowl with the 49ers. He has had legal problems since his career ended in 2003. Stubblefield was involved in the BALCO performance-enhancing drugs scandal in 2008; he was sentenced to jail not long after for stealing an ex-girlfriend’s mail; and he resigned from a coaching job after accusations emerged that he was harassing an ex-girlfriend.