Willmar man pleads innocent to charges in connection with alleged assault at gunpoint

WILLMAR - The 23-year-old Willmar man charged for allegedly forcing a woman into a car at gunpoint and sexually assaulting her pleaded not guilty Wednesday to five felony charges.
Miguel Angel Moreno pleaded not guilty in Kandiyohi County District Court to three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of terroristic threats and one count of second-degree assault. He will make his next court appearance on Nov. 17 for a pre-trial.
According to the criminal complaint, a Willmar police officer found a woman at Rice Memorial Hospital Aug. 16, bruised and crying. She said an acquaintance, Moreno, sexually assaulted her after she arrived at a friend’s apartment in Willmar.
She said Moreno threatened her with a gun and drove to a secluded parking lot, where he kicked and hit her, sexually assaulted her and threatened to kill her. The woman said she fled the scene while Moreno threatened to kill her.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Moreno remained in custody in the Kandiyohi County Jail, according to the online custody list.
He is being held on $250,000 unconditional bail or $100,000 bail with conditions that would include having no contact with the alleged victim and not possessing weapons.