Fugitive Internet rapist returned

Scott Sonner

Friday, Jan. 12, 2001 | 11:19 a.m.

RENO -- A man who raped two women he met on the Internet and then jumped bail to avoid life in prison was returned to Nevada on Thursday and was being held on $5 million bail.

Timothy Mobly, 27, fled two years ago after confessing to raping the two Sparks women. Local prosecutors say he was turned in by his current girlfriend and arrested in Mexico City on Jan. 3.

He arrived at the Washoe County jail at midday Thursday and was being held in lieu of $5.03 million bond. No initial court appearance was immediately set. He faces up to three life terms.

"There's just a huge sense of relief," said Marc Picker, a Reno lawyer who represented one of the rape victims in a civil suit accusing Sparks police of mishandling the case.

"She has been very concerned that he was still out there. And on top of everything else, she was extremely worried that he would do it again," he said.

His client, known publicly as Jennifer W., 25, now lives in Pennsylvania. She was attending the University of Nevada, Reno at the time of the attack.

She told the Associated Press after Mobly's arrest 10 days ago that "the nightmare will finally be over when he is sentenced."

"Now I have my freedom back and he has his taken away," she said.

Jennifer said 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 other victim, a 17-year-old high school student, met Mobly after receiving unsolicited e-mail from him.

Jennifer 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, Picker said.

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.