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Former California officer arraigned for Gig Harbor child sex crimes

PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — A former California Highway Patrol officer and convicted sex offender was arraigned Thursday in Pierce County on local charges.

Jacob M. Duenas pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree child rape for allegedly abusing a young relative in Gig Harbor more than 15 years ago.

Superior Court Judge Grant Blinn set bail at $1 million.

Duenas was convicted of misdemeanor child molestation in 2008 in Monterey County, where he worked as a California Highway Patrol officer, according to The Chico Enterprise-Record.

In February, he was sentenced to 180 days in jail and five years probation for felony child molestation in Butte County.

Prosecutors filed the charges in the Gig Harbor case earlier this month.

Duenas allegedly abused the relative in 2000, when the victim was 8 or 9, and he and Duenas were staying at a family member’s home.

Chico detectives spoke with the victim as part of an investigation into Duenas in 2015, according to charging papers.

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