He Was Given 102 Years But Got Out After 26. Now A Victim Is Seeking Justice.

A woman believed the man accused of sexually assaulting and robbing her would spend the rest of his life behind bars after receiving a 102-year sentence. He was released after 26 years, and decades later, prosecutors have revived her case.

On April 19, 1994, a woman was closing Arabella Boutique in Thousand Oaks, California, when a man allegedly entered the business, pointed a handgun at her and forced her into a back room. Prosecutors said he tied her hands behind her back, sexually assaulted her and stole property from the business before leaving. The woman then called 911, and deputies responded.

The victim has been publicly identified only as SW.

Investigators identified Michael Douglas Brambles as a suspect within months of the attack, but at the time, he was already being prosecuted in Los Angeles County in connection with an extensive crime spree involving 18 cases, including armed robberies and sexual assaults.

Brambles was ultimately convicted of 26 counts, including 18 armed robberies and multiple sexual assaults. He was also convicted of using a firearm in each case and was sentenced to 102 years in state prison.

Because Brambles had received what prosecutors described as effectively a life sentence, the Ventura County case involving SW was dismissed.

SW agreed with that decision at the time because she believed Brambles would remain in prison for the rest of his life.

He did not.

Brambles was released on parole in 2020 after serving approximately 26 years of his 102-year sentence.

Years later, investigators reviewing closed cases and testing DNA connected to previous convictions learned that Brambles had been released from prison.

SW said she was shocked when investigators contacted her and told her the man accused of attacking her had been free for six years. She agreed to move forward with the case again in hopes of seeking justice for herself and helping other victims.

The sexual assault allegations stemming from the 1994 attack can no longer be charged because the statute of limitations has expired.

On August 12, 2026, 77-year-old Michael Douglas Brambles was arrested in Santa Maria in connection with the decades-old case. Prosecutors charged him with kidnapping to commit robbery while personally using a firearm.

The complaint also alleges that the crime involved great violence, that the victim was particularly vulnerable, that the manner in which the crime was carried out showed planning, sophistication or professionalism, and that Brambles has engaged in violent conduct indicating a serious danger to society.

Brambles is being held on $2 million bail and faces a maximum sentence of 12 years to life in state prison if convicted of all counts.