Posted on 11/01/2005 3:44:53 PM PST by SmithL
OAKLAND - The adult son of Oakland City Councilman and mayoral hopeful Ignacio De La Fuente pleaded not guilty this morning to three new sexual assault charges.
Ignacio De La Fuente Jr., 32, entered his pleas during a brief appearance in Alameda County Superior court, where it was confirmed that the new charges stem from alleged attacks on two women in 2003.
Citing a gag order, attorneys in the case would not elaborate on the charges outside court.
In the courtroom of Judge Winifred Smith, defense attorney Robert Beles cited the penal code sections of the new charges: assault with intent to commit rape, sexual penetration and forced oral copulation. Law enforcement sources said both the alleged attacks occurred in Oakland on Oct. 21, 2003.
The new charges come in addition to two forcible rapes De La Fuente Jr. is accused of committing in Oakland: the first in August 2004 and the second on April 16, when a 15-year-old girl was attacked. An enhancement to the latter charge asserts De La Fuente Jr. kidnapped the girl to commit rape.
An arrest report states that De La Fuente Jr. is linked to the two rapes by DNA evidence and is further tied to the assault of the 15-year-old by physical injuries she allegedly suffered. De La Fuente Jr., who lived in Redwood City, surrendered to police April 29 after detectives obtained a warrant for his arrest and he has been in custody since then.
At a hearing in May, Judge Smith called the two attacks "stranger rapes." She ordered De La Fuente Jr. be held without bail, claiming his behavior as alleged "does pose a great danger to this community and the women in the community."
The defendant's father is the president of the Oakland City Council. He is running for mayor of Oakland in next June's election against former Rep. Ron Dellums and City Councilwoman Nancy Nadel.
The senior De La Fuente attended this morning's court hearing, but declined comment outside court.
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