The Chronicle (Centralia)
A Lake Stevens man is being held in the Lewis County Jail on $10,000 bail after being charged with first-degree child molestation.
Juan Ramon Pena Palomera, 31, was booked into the jail on a warrant Wednesday morning.
According to a probable cause affidavit, on Feb. 24 Centralia police responded to a residence in the city limits on a report that Pena Palomera had molested an underage girl.
The girl disclosed the molestation to a family member, according to court documents. Later, when police spoke with him, Pena Palomera allegedly explained a sequence of events of his whereabouts in the house and what he was doing at the time of the alleged molestation that differed greatly from statements provided by other people who were around at the time.
“When confronted with the fact that his version of events differed completely from everyone else’s, he had no response and kept shifting around in his chair and rubbing his face and hair,” read court documents.
A warrant was issued for his arrest April 26, with bail set at $20,000.
During a preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court Thursday afternoon, Judge James Lawler imposed $10,000 bail in tune with a request from public defender Rachael Tiller.
Tiller argued Pena Palomera has no previous felony convictions and isn’t in a living situation that puts him in contact with minors.
Additionally, Lawler ordered a sexual assault no-contact order prohibiting him from making contact with the alleged victim.
Pena Palomera has an arraignment hearing set for Thursday.
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