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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Man allegedly molested girls, told them he was a nurse

A Spokane man accused of pretending to be a nurse and molesting three girls has been jailed.

Peter J. R. Figgeroa, 33, made his first appearance in court last week and remained behind bars Friday on $25,000 bail.

The alleged victims in the case were 11 or in their early teens when the molestations occurred from 2003 through 2005, the teens told investigators. They are not related to Figgeroa and did not live at his home, said Spokane Police Sgt. Brad Arleth.

“He’s trying to take advantage of these girls at their age and their stage of development by pretending to be a medical professional, which is pretty sick,” Arleth said.

Figgeroa declined a jailhouse interview. His mother and girlfriend also declined comment. His attorney, Matthew Harget, said he had not had a chance to meet with his client.

One of the victims told police that Figgeroa touched her inappropriately during a two-year period, starting when she was 11, on the pretense that he was a nurse, and he wanted to check if she was developing appropriately, according to court records. Another teen said that in 2004, when she was 13 and was swimming at Figgeroa’s home, he pulled out the top of her swimming suit after telling her that he was a nurse, according to court records.

A third girl told a detective that in May when she was 14 Figgeroa touched her inappropriately at his home.

In an interview with police, Krista Godes, who lives with Figgeroa and has two children with him, said Figgeroa told her that he was a registered nurse in New Hampshire and that he has stomach cancer. She also said that she has seen Figgeroa examine people, including a woman who asked him to examine her breast for cancerous lumps, according to court records. Court records say that Figgeroa told a detective that he is not a nurse but used to do dishes at a nursing home. He also said that he did not have cancer.

He denied all the allegations of inappropriate contact except for one time when he said he mistook one of the girls for Godes, court documents say.

Figgeroa faces one count each of first-, second- and third-degree child molestation and a charge of fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation.