Prineville man jailed on rape, sex abuse charges

A 10-month investigation into reported child abuse led to Friday’s arrest of a 49-year-old Prineville man on rape and sex abuse charges, police said, adding that they want to hear from any other possible victims.

Gilardo Toledo Vargas was arrested without incident around 3:30 p.m. near the 700 block of North Main Street on a warrant after a grand jury indicted him on one count of first-degree rape and four counts of first-degree sexual abuse, Prineville police Capt. Carry Seymour said.

Vargas was booked into the Crook County Jail and held on $500,000 bail.

Police began investigating a case of reported child abuse in Prineville in March of last year, Seymour said. During the course of the investigation, other young victims were identified.

Seymour said Prineville police were assisted in their investigation by Hermiston police and the state Department of Human Services Child Welfare.

The captain declined to release the number of victims or provide more details, in order to protect the young victims.

Anyone with further information about the case is asked to contact Detective Kathryn Bottoms at 541-447-4168 or by email at kbottoms@prinevillepd.org.

“We encourage anyone that has been a victim and not reported it to come forward,” Seymour said. “Sexual assault victims many times feel ashamed or feel like it was their fault, and we want them to feel comfortable coming in and speaking with our detective.”