Man Held as ‘River Rapist’ Denies Guilt

A man dubbed the “Los Angeles River Rapist” by authorities, because he allegedly sexually assaulted several illegal alien women in the riverbed after abducting them by posing as a law enforcement officer, pleaded innocent Friday to various felony charges.

At his arraignment before Municipal Judge Elva Soper, Stephen Jesse Cisneros, 34, an East Los Angeles tow truck operator, pleaded innocent to 34 felony counts, including kidnaping, rape, oral copulation, sodomy and robbery.

Cisneros, who was taken into custody Monday after he voluntarily came to the Firestone Sheriff’s Station, remained in custody in lieu of $250,000 bail. Soper scheduled a preliminary hearing for Jan. 25.

According to authorities, Cisneros allegedly used a bogus badge to pose as a police officer or immigration officer to stop his victims and then threatened his victims with deportation unless they got into his car.

Victims Handcuffed In some instances, the suspect allegedly handcuffed his victims and forced them into his vehicle. After driving them to the Los Angeles River, he allegedly threatened several of the women with a knife and stole their money before releasing them.

The assaults, which occurred over the last two years, were committed against seven women from East and Central Los Angeles, as well as southeast Los Angeles County.

A Sheriff’s Department spokesman said investigators believe that there are more victims who have not come forward out of fear of deportation.

“We want to make it clear that we are not going to (deport) anyone,” Deputy David Hogan said. “We just want to talk to them--as victims.”