San Diego

La Jolla Restaurant Owner Accused of Rape Appears in Court

The allegations involve at least four alleged victims spanning a total of nine years, with the most recent allegation occurring in January of 2018.

The owner of a La Jolla restaurant who faces more than a dozen charges ranging from sexual battery to rape made his first appearance in court Monday.

Daniel Dorado, 59, was taken into custody last week in Escondido and held in the San Diego Central Jail in lieu of $900,000 bail, according to jail records.

Dorado faces 14 charges ranging from having sex with an unconscious person, sexual battery of someone who is restrained and several counts of administering a controlled substance.

NBC 7 learned at the arraignment that the allegations involve at least four alleged victims spanning a total of nine years, with the most recent allegation occurring in January of 2018.

Dorado owns a small Italian restaurant on La Jolla Boulevard in the Bird Rock community.

The prosecution argued that Dorado's bailed should be raised, saying he was a danger to society. The prosecution also said that all four alleged victim accounts are similar in detail and said that at least one of the alleged incidents happened at Dorado's restaurant.

If convicted on all 14 charges, Dorado could face up to 30 years in prison.

Dorado owns Voce del Mare, a small Italian restaurant on La Jolla Boulevard in the Bird Rock community.

NBC 7 looked to see if Dorado had any previous convictions and found only traffic citations. 

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