One of the most famous figures in the Hollywood production scene, David Pearce, has been sentenced to 146 years in prison, after a long trial that has shocked American public opinion.
According to international media, Pearce was found guilty of the deaths of two young women in 2021 – model Christy Giles and her friend, Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola – who died as a result of an overdose of fentanyl and GHB, a fatal mixture often used in cases of sexual assault.
How the tragic event happened
Investigations by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office revealed that in November 2021, Pearce and his associate, Brant Osborn, had met the victims during a party. According to evidence, they had invited the women to Pearce’s apartment in Los Angeles, where they were then given high doses of narcotic substances, leading to their tragic deaths.
The bodies of the two women were found several hours later in different locations around the city – one of them abandoned in front of a hospital, raising strong suspicions of an attempt to hide the evidence.
Multiple rapes and charges
In addition to the charges for the deaths of Giles and Cabrales-Arzola, Pearce was also found guilty of raping seven other women over a period of more than 14 years (2007–2021).
The charges included:
three counts of rape with the use of force,
two counts of sexual penetration with the use of force,
and one count of rape of an unconscious victim.
Following his arrest in December 2021, seven other women came forward and recounted their experiences, giving similar testimony about the producer’s abusive behavior.
Throughout the trial, Pearce denied the charges and claimed that the relationships had been consensual. But the court, after reviewing the evidence, forensic evidence and the victims’ testimonies, found him guilty on all main counts of the charge.
A symbolic sentence of justice for the victims
In a statement after the verdict was announced, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office emphasized that this harsh sentence “sends a clear message to any person who thinks they can abuse, exploit or harm others without consequences.”
Pearce’s case has brought sexual abuse and the culture of power back into the spotlight in Hollywood, an industry that in recent years has faced dozens of similar scandals that have come to light thanks to the #MeToo movement.
The 146-year prison sentence is considered one of the heaviest ever given to a producer in the history of the American film industry, sealing the end of a dark history of abuse, manipulation and violence against women.
