Man admits to rape of 17-year-old in court

Juan Manuel Hernandez | Bonneville County Jail
IDAHO FALLS – A 33-year-old man admitted his guilt after being charged with the rape of a teenage girl.
Juan Manuel Hernandez pleaded guilty to felony rape of a victim who is 16 or 17 years of age in front of District Judge Bruce Pickett on Tuesday.
Hernandez was originally charged with three counts of felony rape of a victim who is 16 or 17 years of age.
According to a plea agreement filed on Tuesday, Hernandez agreed to plead guilty to one of the charges, in exchange for the prosecution dropping the remaining two charges and recommending a minimum of four and a maximum of 20 years in prison at sentencing.
Hernandez will also be required to register as a sex offender, and a no-contact order with the victim will be extended for 20 years from the date of sentencing.
Pickett scheduled to sentencing for Jan. 10, 2024.
The agreement is non-binding on the court, meaning that Pickett does not have to sentence Hernandez to the recommended time and can sentence him to more or less time if he sees fit.
Background of the case
On May 15, Idaho Falls Police officers received a tip that Hernandez had been having an illegal sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl.
When officers interviewed the victim, she declined to give them Hernandez’s name but described what the inside of his home and bedroom looked like.
According to police reports, the victim allowed officers to look through her phone, where they eventually identified Hernandez.
On May 19, officers interviewed Hernandez, who confessed to having sex with the victim “at least twice” while knowing she was under 18.
Hernandez allowed the officer to look around his home, which matched the victim’s descriptions.
He later told officers that he “probably had sex with (the victim) more than two times” and said he didn’t “keep track.”
A warrant was issued for Hernandez’s arrest on Tuesday, and he was booked into the Bonneville County Jail with a bond of $100,000.
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Source: eastidahonews.com