NEED TO KNOW
- David Josue Lopes was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl
- The 38-year-old man allegedly physically and sexually assaulted the girl in a Hollywood, Calif. restaurant
- He pleaded not guilty, and could face a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted
A California man was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in a Hollywood restaurant in early November, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said.
On Nov. 5, David Josue Lopes allegedly approached a girl inside the restaurant on Nov. 5, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement on Wednesday, Nov. 12. He allegedly then took her to an enclosed area in the restaurant and physically and sexually assaulted her.
Lopes, 38, was charged with one felony count of forcible lewd act upon a child under 14 and faces allegations of aggravated kidnapping and infliction of bodily harm on a child under 14 years old, the district attorney’s office said.
Lopes pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on Monday, Nov. 10, and is being held without bail. His next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 12 in the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
If Lopes is convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman called the allegations against Lopes “horrifying.”
“An innocent child and her family have suffered an unthinkable trauma that will leave lasting scars,” Hochman said in a statement. “My office will use every legal tool available to seek justice for this young victim and to ensure that the individual responsible is held accountable under the law.”
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If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
