Corona man accused of kidnapping, raping woman at gunpoint over several days
BOOKING PHOTO: Nevada County Sheriff’s Office
The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrest of 19-year-old Joshua Gaspar of Corona, who is accused of kidnapping a woman and sexually assaulting her at gunpoint over the course of multiple days.
The Sheriff’s Office received a tip just before 11:30 AM on December 14 that a 29-year-old woman was being held against her will in the North San Juan area and had been sexually assaulted, and that the suspect was currently transporting her to Sacramento.
The victim was fortunately able to send a message to a friend signaling that she needed help and indicating she was currently in the Grass Valley area.
Deputies and Grass Valley PD officers located the suspect, later identified as Gaspar, and the victim at the Chevron Gas Station on McKnight Way.
Subsequent investigation taken up by Nevada County detectives, as well as investigators from the DA’s Office, led to reasonable suspicion that Gaspar had indeed held the woman against her will and sexually assaulted her several times. Authorities obtained a search warrant for a property on the 12000 block of Shady Creek Drive in the area of North San Juan where they believe she had been held.
At this time, investigators also believe there may be more than one suspect involved.
Gaspar has since been booked at the Wayne Brown Correctional Facility in Nevada City on suspicion of kidnapping with intent to commit sexual assault, forcible rape, and false imprisonment, with bail set at $1 million.
