Gary Zerola, a former prosecutor and People magazine top bachelor, has been found guilty in a 2021 rape case by a Suffolk Superior Court jury after dodging another rape charge a year ago, Suffolk DA Kevin Hayden announced Wednesday.

Zerola, 52, was found guilty on one count of rape after five hours of jury deliberation Wednesday. The jury found him not guilty to the greater charge of aggravated rape and burglary.

In January 2021, the DA’s office said, Zerola went out drinking with a woman he was dating and one of her friends, a 21-year-old woman. After the friend became intoxicated, she had to be helped back to her Beacon Hill apartment.

The defendant then entered the apartment later that night and began having intercourse with the friend while she slept.

Zerola was previously acquitted of raping a raping a 23-year-old woman in 2016 in June 2023.

“These cases are always difficult, and this victim deserves enormous credit for taking the stand and telling the jury what happened to her that night,” said Hayden. “I thank the jurors for considering all of the information presented to them and for returning a just verdict.”

Zerola will return to court for sentencing on July 15.