A 38-year-old man made his first appearance in court Thursday on charges of sexually assaulting two women while incapacitated in Santa Ana.
Nicolas Mercado was charged Aug. 28 with rape by use of drugs and sexual penetration with an intoxicating substance used on the victim, both felonies. Mercado of Santa Ana was arrested Tuesday and did not enter a plea at his arraignment Thursday in the jail courtroom.
Mercado was next due in court Feb. 11 for arraignment in the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.
He was accused of raping one woman on Oct. 13, 2022, and the other victim on Feb. 3 of last year, according to the criminal complaint.
Messages requesting more details were not immediately returned from the District Attorney’s Office or police department.