Accused rapist dressed as clown pleads not guilty

A man accused of raping a 12-year-old girl while dressed as a clown pleaded not guilty on Friday to four related counts at the Men’s Central Jail in Santa Ana.

Jose Guadalupe Jimenez, 41, was arrested in Newport Beach in March, more than nine years after he allegedly committed the crimes. Detectives said DNA evidence linked him to the Jan. 19, 2002, incident.

Jimenez allegedly grabbed the girl from a corner in Fullerton, drove her to a nearby school parking lot and raped her, Fullerton Police Sgt. Andrew Goodrich told KTLA.

He is charged with one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child, one count of a forcible lewd act upon a child, and two counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a minor.

Jimenez’s pretrial is scheduled for May 2.

—Alexandra Baird