Glenwood man pleads innocent to rape involving 13-year-old
A Glenwood man accused of raping a 13-year-old girl from Garland County after giving her a ride last year pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Garland County Circuit Court.
Jesus Amilcar Pineda Jr., 20, pleaded not guilty to a felony count of rape, punishable by up to life in prison, and Judge Marcia Hearnsberger issued a gag order limiting pretrial publicity in the case and a court order barring Pineda from any future contact with the alleged victim.
A hearing to determine the admissibility of statements he made to Garland County sheriff’s investigators is now set for May 4. A trial date has not been set yet.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Sept. 3,
2018, sheriff’s investigators received a report regarding the rape of a 13-year-old female by an unknown male at an unknown location in Garland County.
The next day, the female was interviewed at the Cooper-Anthony Mercy Child Advocacy
Center and reportedly stated she accepted a ride from a guy she knew only as Junior. She said she asked the man to take her from her friend’s house to her grandmother’s house.
Instead, she said the man drove her to what he said was his house, but she did not know where the house was located. She said once at the house the man took her clothes off and raped her. Afterward, he dropped her back off at her friend’s house.
After further investigation, Junior was allegedly identified as Pineda. On Sept. 14, Pineda was interviewed at the sheriff’s department after being read his Miranda rights.
He reportedly confirmed he goes by the name Junior and admitted he did pick up the female and take her to his house. Pineda said he met the female on Instagram or Snapchat four or five months earlier.
Pineda reportedly said the female was high and that they did have sex, but he did not force her. He also reportedly confirmed he dropped her back off at the address where he picked her up.
Pineda was not charged at that time, but a warrant for his arrest was later issued on Oct. 8, 2018, and he was taken into custody on Oct. 23 and initially held on zero bond. Bond was later set at $20,000 and he was released on Jan. 4, 2019.