At least 6 women accuse suspected serial rapist of assaults in Turlock, Sonora and Fresno
A judge in Tuolumne County agreed to keep a suspected serial rapist’s bail set at $1 million last week following a motion filed by the prosecution that details alleged rapes in Turlock, Sonora and Fresno.
According to the motion, 37-year-old Joseph Frank Pineda Pimentel injected one victim with an unknown substance before allegedly raping her and threw cash at another victim after the alleged rape.
Pineda Pimentel admitted to Sonora Police investigators that he regularly picked up women in bars or on the street and would have sex with them, but he said it was consensual, authorities said.
While Pineda Pimentel until recently worked as a surgical technician at Adventist Health Sonora, he was essentially transient. He told investigators he stays in “random hotels” and occasionally with his mother in Manteca, according to the motion.
“This combination of circumstances presents a very clear and reasonable possibility that the defendant will flee and continue to pick up women and assault them,” Assistant District Attorney Eric Hovatter wrote in the motion.
Pineda Pimentel has been implicated in rapes in multiple jurisdictions, and more women have come forward since his arrest. The Tuolumne County District Attorney’s Office last week charged him with a second count of forcible rape after a second victim in Sonora came forward following his arrest.
Hovatter said the cases were charged separately but he plans to eventually consolidated them.
Pindeda Pimentel also faces enhancements for allegedly kidnapping the victims during the rapes, which makes him eligible for a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison. He has pleaded not guilty.
DNA match breaks open case
Turlock police said they identified Pinada Pimentel as a suspected serial rapist in late August after getting lab results that connected him to a June 15 rape. Pineda Pimentel’s DNA profile — in a database because of a 2009 rape charge that was ultimately dismissed — matched not only their case but a June 4 rape in Sonora.
In both cases, authorities allege Pineda Pimentel offered rides to homeless women, then drove them to locations they didn’t want to go to and raped them by force.
The victim in the Sonora case told investigators a Latino male driving a dark SUV offered her a ride while she was walking along West Stockton Street. Instead of taking her where she wanted, the suspect drove to a secluded location and got out to make sure no one was around. He then injected her with an unknown substance, which she believed to be methamphetamine, before sexually assaulting her, according to the motion.
The victim in the Turlock case told investigators a Latino male in a dark SUV approached her on Geer Road and was persistent in offering her a ride until she agreed. Instead of taking her to the location she requested, he drove behind a closed business and raped her. He then took her to a bank across the street, withdrew cash, and threw it at her before leaving.
Turlock detectives notified Sonora police about the DNA match and got a warrant for Pineda Pimentel’s arrest, said Turlock Police Department spokeswoman Deandra Wiley. On Sept. 3, they pinged his phone to determine he was in south Modesto.
Detectives converged on the area and located Pineda Pimentel in his vehicle with another homeless woman, who authorities believe was going to be his next victim.
Turlock police arrested Pineda Pimentel on suspicion of rape but he posted bond on $150,000 bail.
On Sept. 7, Sonora police arrested Pineda Pimentel at Adventist Health Sonora and he was charged the same day in connection with the June 4 alleged rape.
A spokeswoman for the hospital said Wednesday, “Joseph Pineda Pimentel is no longer employed by Adventist Health Sonora. We cannot comment further on personnel matters.”
Sonora investigators requested an initial bail enhancement to $500,000 and the District Attorney’s Office secured the second, which doubled it.
Pineda Pimentel was not present during the hearing Thursday. The deputy public defender representing him declined to comment after the hearing.
A woman who answered a phone number associated with the Manteca home Pineda Pimentel gave authorities as his address declined to comment. She told a Bee reporter not to call back and that she would be contacting an attorney.
Because Pineda Pimentel bailed out of jail in Stanislaus County, the District Attorney’s Office has not yet filed charges against him for the alleged Turlock rapes.
Officials from both the Stanislaus and Tuolumne DA’s offices said the cases could be tried together.
More victims coming forward
Since Pineda Pimental’s arrest, more potential victims have come forward and Fresno police have reopened a 2017 investigation.
According to the motion, the victim in that case was an 18-year-old high school student on her way to school.
The suspect drove up and offered her a ride. She initially refused but then got in his vehicle when he said he’d smoke marijuana with her, according to the motion. He allegedly drove her to an undisclosed location and raped her in the back of his vehicle.
The victim gave two statements, one in 2017 and one in 2019. She initially said the suspect digitally penetrated her then said he both digitally penetrated her and raped her. There were also inconsistencies about how she got in the back seat, the location of the assault and whether or not they smoked marijuana.
Fresno police Sgt. Diana Trueba Vega said detectives identified Pineda Pimental as the suspect and forwarded the case to the District Attorney’s Officee, which declined to file. Due to Pineda Pimentel’s recent arrest, the case has been resubmitted to the DA, the sergeant said.
Three other possible victims have come forward since Sonora and Turlock police posted Pineda Pimentel’s booking photo on social media earlier this month.
Wiley said a woman, who is also homeless, reported being sexually assaulted in May. The alleged rape occurred in south Modesto but Turlock detectives are handling the investigation.
According to the motion, a woman told investigators she met Pineda Pimentel at a “transient motel.” She said she had consensual sex with him the first time but was forced on two subsequent occasions after she told him no. Both alleged sexual assaults occurred after she got into into a vehicle with him, according to the motion.
“She indicated that she didn’t report the incidents to law enforcement because the defendant was a nurse and her status as homeless and former drug addict meant that ‘no’ had no meaning,” Hovatter wrote in the motion.
A second woman called Turlock police last week. Wiley said she had no further details about what was reported.
Sonora police also were contacted by another potential victim. Officer Thomas Brickley said Thursday that a woman reported Pineda Pimental was an acquaintance when he allegedly sexual assaulted her Aug. 4. He was charged with rape in that case last week.
Suspect’s military record
Pineda Pimentel’s DNA profile was in a database because he was arrested and charged with rape in 2009 while serving overseas in the Navy, according Wiley. The case was ultimately dismissed because the victim refused to testify.
Records provided by the Navy show Pineda Pimentel, who went by the last name Pineda then, enlisted a few months after turning 18 in 2002 and served as a hospital corpsman 3rd class until 2012.
He was stationed in Illinois, Texas and multiple locations in California, including Fresno, where he last served in the Naval Reserve.
His awards and decorations include two good conduct awards, a National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and an Overseas Service Ribbon.
The Navy did not provide his discharge status or any details about the circumstances of the alleged 2009 rape.
Pineda Pimentel is next scheduled to be in court Sept. 23. for a setting of a preliminary hearing.
This story was originally published September 20, 2021 at 7:31 AM.
