DARLINGTON - A Darlington man pleaded not guilty Thursday to a charge of sexually assaulting a child.
Etelberto Flores-Garcia, 49, pleaded not guilty to a Class B felony count of first-degree child sexual assault and a related Class C felony at a preliminary hearing Thursday.
Flores-Garcia was charged in February after a preteen girl told police that he had sexually abused her during an incident in October 2015.
The girl reported that she awoke on Oct. 12, 2015 to find a naked Flores-Garcia groping her before he forced her to perform sex acts.
Flores-Garcia waived the remainder of the preliminary hearing and Lafayette County Circuit Judge Duane Jorgenson set the case over for trial.
Flores-Garcia's attorney, Victor Arellano, also filed a motion to reduce Flores-Garcia's bond from $5,000 to $2,500. Arellano argued that his client has no prior record and has been in police custody since his arrest in February.
Lafayette County District Attorney Jenna Gill agreed with Arellano's proposal, which Jorgenson passed. Flores-Garcia is not permitted to have any contact with the girl, her family or any child under the age of 18.
Flores-Garcia also has an ongoing immigration hold resulting from his arrest, Gill said.
Flores-Garcia's next court appearance will be a scheduling conference on July 12. His maximum possible sentence is 65 years in prison.
Etelberto Flores-Garcia, 49, pleaded not guilty to a Class B felony count of first-degree child sexual assault and a related Class C felony at a preliminary hearing Thursday.
Flores-Garcia was charged in February after a preteen girl told police that he had sexually abused her during an incident in October 2015.
The girl reported that she awoke on Oct. 12, 2015 to find a naked Flores-Garcia groping her before he forced her to perform sex acts.
Flores-Garcia waived the remainder of the preliminary hearing and Lafayette County Circuit Judge Duane Jorgenson set the case over for trial.
Flores-Garcia's attorney, Victor Arellano, also filed a motion to reduce Flores-Garcia's bond from $5,000 to $2,500. Arellano argued that his client has no prior record and has been in police custody since his arrest in February.
Lafayette County District Attorney Jenna Gill agreed with Arellano's proposal, which Jorgenson passed. Flores-Garcia is not permitted to have any contact with the girl, her family or any child under the age of 18.
Flores-Garcia also has an ongoing immigration hold resulting from his arrest, Gill said.
Flores-Garcia's next court appearance will be a scheduling conference on July 12. His maximum possible sentence is 65 years in prison.