Man arrested in Waitsburg for trafficking, assault

WALLA WALLA—A Pendleton man is facing felony charges after being arrested last week in Waitsburg for sex crimes. Robert Miguel Aguilera, 37, was booked into Walla Walla County Jail on felony charges of sex trafficking, rape, and assault.

Court documents show Aguilera allegedly purchased a female under the age of 18, missing from Richland, Wash.

The documents state that Aguilera forcibly raped the victim at various locations in Walla Walla, Dayton, College Place, and Milton Freewater, threatened her with a rifle, and provided her with heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. Records state that people known to Aguilera would inject the victim intravenously with the drugs, which she had not used before being allegedly trafficked. The victim’s face, arms, and legs were covered in sores.

Initially, the victim provided a fake name but revealed her true identity when police officers were able to convince her to speak with a detective about her experience with Aguilera. The victim told police she felt compelled to go with Aguilera when she was ‘sold’ because two months before the deal, Aguilera had held a rifle to her head and threatened to shoot her. She stated that Aguilera had raped her before the deal took place.

The victim described an incident where she was ‘gang-raped by four to five members of the 18th Street gang.’ She stated that she complied with Aguilera’s demands to avoid physical punishment.

Walla Walla Police Department arrested Aguilera at 329 Main Street in Waitsburg on Wednesday, September 2. He is charged with second-degree rape, first-degree sex trafficking, and first-degree assault. Aguilera’s bail was set at $50,000. The arraignment has been scheduled for September 14.