YAKIMA -- A jury has found a former Wapato teacher accused of raping one of his fifth-grade students guilty of two of the five charges against him.
Jesus Vega Barcenas, 28, has been convicted on two counts of second-degree rape of a girl he first met in a third-grade after-school program.
Jurors found Vega Barcenas innocent of two counts of first-degree child molestation and one count of second-degree rape.
The Yakima Herald-Republic reports he was accused of kissing and touching the girl in 2006 in his classroom and later having sex with her after he started dating her mother.
A sentencing date for Vega Barcenas has been tentatively set for Dec. 18.
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Tony Pruneda Larralde pleaded innocent this week.
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Day in court
Day in court
Successful prosecution of sexual assault cases is very difficult for varied reasons; often there is little physical evidence; in most cases the offender is known by the victim which complicates many factors; the jury may have a difficult time believing the horrendous acts that community members subject on others.
The Benton County Prosecuting Attorney's Office deserves to be recognized for the successful prosecution of three recent sexual assault cases: Vance Baker, convicted of two counts of child molestation in the first degree and one count of child molestation in the second degree, sentenced to 10 years, prosecuted by Anita Petra; Patrick Gale Wilson guilty of first-degree child rape, prosecuted by Anita Petra; and Cody Kloepper guilty of first degree rape, second degree assault and first degree burglary, sentenced to 24 years, prosecuted by Terry Bloor.
For many victims having their day in court is an important step in their healing process, even if a conviction is not won. They want to be heard
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Maria Esther Vasquez Lopez is charged with first-degree arson for the Dec. 26 fires.
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