Man who fled rape charge arrested in Mexico City

Tom Gardner

Thursday, Jan. 4, 2001 | 9:14 a.m.

RENO, Nev. - A man who raped two women he met on the Internet and later fled to avoid life in prison was arrested in Mexico City on Wednesday - two years to the day after he was charged with the assaults.

Timothy Mobly, 27, who fled after confessing to raping the two Sparks women was turned in by his current girlfriend, according Washoe County District Attorney Richard Gammick.

"The nightmare will finally be over when he is sentenced," said one of the victims, Jennifer W. "Now I have my freedom back and he has his taken away."

Jennifer, who asks that her last name not be used, reported her rape to Sparks police who initially scoffed at her and reportedly called her a liar.

It was not until two months later when the second woman, a 17-year-old Sparks high school junior, reported being raped by Mobly that police finally believed Jennifer's story.

"I've heard so many times, 'There's been a spotting of him, but,"' Jennifer said Wednesday. "I'm sort of going, 'Is it really real?' This has to be real. It's just completely ironic - two years to the date."

Jennifer, 25, who now lives in Pennsylvania, was attending the University of Nevada, Reno, when the rape occurred. She had dated Mobly and was breaking up with him by e-mail when he kidnapped her from her parents' home and raped her in November 1998.

Both Jennifer and the 17-year-old victim met Mobly after receiving unsolicited e-mail from him.

She sued the city of Sparks, the police department, three detectives and the police chief for more than $900,000 saying she was humiliated when she tried to report the crime and shunned until the second victim surfaced in January 1999.

Her civil suit against the city was resolved in August with a $24,999 judgment and she reached an undisclosed settlement with the four officers, according to her attorney, Marc Picker.

Mobly and his roommate Aaron Cross both admitted raping the teen-ager and Mobly confessed to attacking Jennifer.

Cross, who remained jailed after his arrest, was sentenced to two consecutive life terms April 30, 1999. Mobly posted $20,000 bail and fled before his sentencing. He had been a fugitive since.

"His current girlfriend in Mexico City turned him in," Gammick said Wednesday. "We're tickled to death to have our hands on him."

Gammick did not know details about the woman or why she turned him in and he would not reveal plans to return Mobly to Reno.

"We always have security concerns. Arrangements are being made to get him back here in the near future."

Mobly faces a minimum of three life terms.

"We're going to do everything that we can to make sure he gets everything that's allowed under the law," Gammick said. "I think three lives may be sufficient. As far as I'm concerned, Mr. Mobly has no business ever being out again."