A San Jose man was sentenced last week to 25 years to life in prison for the 2007 rape of a young woman on Terra Bella Avenue.

Melchor Paredes, 38, pleaded no contest last month to the rape, in addition to burglary and possession of a deadly weapon. His sentence was handed down on Thursday, Nov. 12.

On Aug. 2, 2007, Paredes hid outside the victim's home on the 900 block of Terra Bella Avenue, wearing dark clothing and a ski mask. According to police reports, Paredes confronted the then-22-year-old woman as she was leaving for work shortly after 7 a.m. He threatened her with a knife and forced her back inside her apartment, where he bound her with duct tape and raped her.

Paredes, who had been working for a local construction company and using the alias "Ramon Jayardes," reportedly moved to Georgia after committing the crime. He moved back to the area in December 2008, and began working for the same construction company.

In January, police received a tip from the victim's husband, who was a coworker of Paredes' and knew him as Ramon Jayardo. Police began investigating Paredes, and three weeks after receiving the tip-off managed to collect physical evidence from him. Reportedly he was pulled over in a routine traffic stop, and police collected a thumb print and DNA sample to confirm his identity, because he was driving without a license.

The County Crime Lab confirmed in mid-February that the physical evidence matched evidence collected at the time of the rape.

On Tuesday, Feb. 17, police sought out Paredes at his work. After attempting to hide in the attic, he was taken into custody. Paredes reportedly told police he knew the victim, and had dated her for two months.

— Kelsey Mesher