BENTONVILLE — Jamie Rigoberto Flores evaded being arrested for more than 15 years, but on Thursday he was ordered to serve 20 years in prison for having sex with a 13-year-old girl.
Flores, of Des Moines, Iowa was 19 when he arrested in 1999 for having sex with the teenage girl. He was was charged with first-degree sexual abuse, a felony, on Sept. 7, 1999.
He failed to appear in court on Jan. 17, 2000, for a pretrial hearing. A warrant was issued for his arrest, but he remained free until he was apprehended in 2015.
Benton County prosecutors were notified in June 2015 by the U.S. Marshall’s Service that Flores, 35, was located in Polk County, Iowa, living under an alias, according to court documents.
The case was resolved Thursday when Flores agreed to plead guilty under an agreement his attorney Janet Spencer reached with Carrie Dobbs, deputy prosecutor. The rape charge was amended and he was charged with a lesser offense.
He pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual abuse and failure to appear, both Class C felonies.
Circuit Judge Robin Green accepted the plea agreement and Flores’ guilty pleas.
Flores was sentenced to 10 years on each count. The sentences will be served consecutively, which means Flores received a total of 20 years. He must serve at least 39 months in prison before he will be eligible for parole.