A Newhall man charged with two counts each of forcible rape and injuring a girlfriend pleaded not guilty in court Tuesday.
The 32-year-old man was arrested by deputies of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station on Thursday.
The suspect is also charged with one count each of rape of an unconscious person and criminal threats.
He appeared in San Fernando Superior Court on Tuesday, when he pleaded not guilty, said Ricardo Santiago, spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The suspect was ordered to appear back in court June 19 to set a date for a preliminary hearing.
Sgt. Brian Hudson, of the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department’s Special Victims Bureau, said the alleged victim reported that the suspect sexually assaulted her on May 31 at 10:30 p.m. while inside a parked vehicle in Valencia.
The victim and suspect know each other, he said.
“Upon conclusion of the investigation and with the assistance of Santa Clarita Valley station deputies, the suspect was arrested on June 6, when he arrived at a location in Valencia where he believed he was going to meet the victim,” he said.
The Signal is withholding the name of the suspect, as publishing his name would, in turn, identify the victim to those who are familiar with both parties. It is the newspaper’s policy to withhold the names of rape victims.
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