Redmond child rape, abuse suspect who fled to Mexico nearly a decade ago is extradited, back in Bend to face 28 charges
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A former Redmond resident who allegedly fled to Mexico nearly a decade ago shortly before being indicted on 28 counts of rape, sex abuse and incest has been extradited and returned to Deschutes County to face the charges, seven months after his arrest in Baja California.
Jose Maria Nonato-Pineda Sr., 59, is being held at the county jail in Bend on $5 million bail. His plea hearing was scheduled for last Friday but was delayed a week when the defense attorney asked for time to speak with Nonato-Pineda, with the use of an interpreter, Deputy District Attorney Matthew Nelson said Monday.
A Sept. 15 report in the Mexican publication Milenio said that country’s attorney general’s office, the FGR, had handed over the fugitive, who was arrested last February in Mexicali, Baja, California, starting the extradition process.
"In compliance with the Extradition Treaty signed between Mexico and the United States of America, the Attorney General's Office (FGR) extradited to the Government of that country a fugitive of Mexican nationality wanted by the Circuit Court of the State of Oregon, Deschutes County, for the crimes of sexual abuse and rape," according to statement where the FGR reported on the extradition, Milenio reported.
Asked about the seven-month delay in Nonato-Pineda's return to the U.S., Nelson noted that “the extradition process takes a considerable amount of time,” requiring coordination between the DA’s office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Office of International Affairs and Mexican authorities.
Last month, Nelson said, FBI agents went to Mexico City and transported Nonato-Pineda on a flight to Portland, where Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies were waiting to take him into custody on the outstanding 2015 warrant and bring him back to Bend.
The FBI said back in 2015 that the suspect headed south after learning of the investigation, which began when Nonato-Pineda’s wife told authorities her husband sexually abused a relative. Detectives later found two more victims, and he was indicted in April of that year.
Court records show Nonato-Pineda faces four counts of first-degree rape, three counts of second-degree rape and four counts of third-degree rape, as well as eight counts of first-degree sexual abuse, eight counts of incest and one count of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration.
The 16-page, 28-count indictment in April 2015 indicated incidents that occurred between March 2013 and February 2015. Judge Beth Bagley issued a bench warrant for his arrest, listing $500,000 bail less than a week later.
Even with such a high bail amount of $5 million, Judge Randy Miller set release conditions at Nonato-Pineda's arraignment last month, including monitoring with a GPS bracelet, surrender of his passports, remaining in Deschutes County and to have no contact with the victims or any minors, or frequent places where minors regularly congregate.
