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

Man accused of grabbing girl in park pleads guilty

A man accused of grabbing an 11-year-old girl at a park in Browne’s Addition in April pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful imprisonment Wednesday even as he maintained his innocence.

“I’m not guilty, but I’m going to plead guilty because I want to get out of jail,” Jose L. Jimenes said through an interpreter. “I’ve been in jail for a long time and I want to be free.”

Jimenes was sentenced to seven months in jail and already has served more than that. However, his attorney said Jimenes also is being held on immigration issues.

A witness who saw the incident at Coeur d’Alene Park told police that Jimenes used both his hands to grab one of the girl’s hands and that she looked terrified, according to court documents. The girl told police that she tried to pull away but Jimenes only gripped her harder. She said he was speaking to her in Spanish.

Jimenes’ attorney, Mark Lorenz, said that if his client had gone to trial he would have argued that he was only trying to shake the girl’s hand.

“He had just come from church and was talking to her about church,” he said.