A 33-year-old man faces more than 25 years in prison after a jury convicted him in a case the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office called “stranger rape.”

Eric Todd Bell was found guilty of five counts of sexual assault and one count of kidnapping in the October 2021 crime.

The attack occurred at about 5 a.m. when the victim, a college student, was walking from her apartment to work.

Bell grabbed her from behind, took her to a nearby location and assaulted her, according to an MCAO release. The victim did not know Bell, thinking he was a jogger coming up from behind her on the sidewalk.

“When the assault concluded, Bell told the victim to count to 50 before doing anything – presumably to aid his escape from the scene,” officials stated in the release.

The victim said she believed she had been taken at knife point and threatened with a gun, but law enforcement found no weapons.

Bell’s DNA was discovered on the victim, and authorities said that led to the convictions.

Bell represented himself at the trial.

“These cases are already challenging enough, even when the defendant has his own lawyer,” Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said.

“When the defendant is representing himself, my lawyers must work doubly hard to ensure he doesn’t make mistakes that would jeopardize a conviction.

“I’m particularly proud of this team who took all that into account and still made sure he will go to prison where he belongs.”

Sentencing is set for May 9.