Accused rapist appears in court

Derek Leevard Buncom made his initial appearance in a Lompoc court Friday to face 11 charges related to two sexual assaults that occurred in 1999.

Buncom, 44, was arrested recently after his DNA was found to be a match for DNA evidence taken from the crime scenes, according to Lompoc police.

Authorities in Alaska took a DNA sample from Buncom while he was incarcerated there for a burglary conviction. The match was made through the FBI's National DNA Index System.

“It was a pleasant surprise when we got a DNA hit,” Lompoc Police Sgt. Joe Bailey said after Buncom's court appearance.

Police said one way they know Buncom lived in Lompoc during the time of the two attacks is that he was on parole from prison for a prior conviction in Alaska. Police said they are not sure how long he lived in Lompoc.

Buncom is charged with attacking a 51-year-old woman and a 49-year-old woman in Lompoc in separate incidents several months apart.

In one of the attacks, the assailant broke into the victim's residence and in the other, he got in through an unlocked window or door.

The District Attorney's Office is seeking a sentence of 25 years to life for the offenses.

Buncom has been charged with assault with the intent to commit rape; battery with serious injury; two counts of rape; two counts of assault with a deadly weapon; penetration by a foreign object; threatening, dissuading or preventing a person from making a crime report; first-degree robbery; and two counts of first-degree burglary.

His next court date has been set for Aug. 3 in Lompoc.