Man pleads no contest in 2021 case

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A man accused of choking a woman unconscious, driving her to a remote location and raping her has accepted a plea deal and faces 17 years and four months in prison, according to court records and prosecutors.

According to court records, Armando Avalos Jr. pleaded no contest on Tuesday to charges of attempted murder, rape, uttering threats and preventing a victim from reporting a crime.

The verdict for the 25-year-old is scheduled for July 31.

Avalos is accused of choking an acquaintance unconscious in his car after she rejected his advances in a Bakersfield park early on August 4, 2021. The woman told sheriff’s detectives that when she woke up, she was in Avalos’ car somewhere in the mountains, possibly in the Lake Isabella area.

Free fishing days for the public announced in California

She said he pulled out a gun and threatened to kill her if she didn’t do what he wanted, court records say. Avalos then raped her, both in the mountains and at another location, she told investigators. She said he pointed the gun at her.

He then threatened her with death again, but was willing to release her after she told him she would not report the attack, she told investigators.

A day later, Avalos was arrested by police in the Los Angeles area. He has been in jail ever since.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports and streaming video, tune to KGET 17.