A man who had come to be known as the East Side rapist was found guilty by a jury on Thursday night, after about five hours of deliberations.
In a trial that began earlier this week, a jury found Joel Pappas, 30, guilty of raping a woman at The Fountains apartments in May 2009. Pappas was arrested more than 18 months later in connection with that attack and was locked up in the Seminole County Jail.
Jurors heard compelling evidence of recorded phone conversations between Pappas and his nephew Brandon McFarland, called by the prosecution to the stand, in which the accused admitted attacking his victim, cfnews13.com reports.
Orange County deputies believe that Pappas is responsible for at least three other attacks:
Waterside Apartments– January 2010
Heather Glen Apartments–February 2010
Woodland Apartment– October 2010.
Pappas will be sentenced on January 6. He faces a possible sentence of life.
