Crime & Safety
Tattoo Artist Accused of Molestation—Preliminary Hearing Set
The court will go over evidence in the case of a Mission Viejo tattoo artist charged with sexually molesting a teen girl.
A judge is scheduled to decide on June 21 if there's enough evidence to move to trial in the case of tattoo artist Edder Giovani Nieves-Vera. Nieves-Vera is accused of luring a 14-year-old girl with drugs, alcohol and tattoos, then sexually molesting her in his Mission Viejo home.
Nieves-Vera was in court Friday morning to set the preliminary trial date.
On Dec. 21, the parents of the teen girl told authorities a man had contacted their daughter on Facebook, offering her a free tattoo, drugs and alcohol, said Sheriff's Department spokesman Jim Amormino.
"He engaged in highly inappropriate conduct, including sexual advances,'' Amormino said.
In 2004, Nieves-Vera, 29, was arrested by Murrieta police for child annoyance and having false identifying documents, Amormino said. In that case he drove up to a 14-year-old girl walking to school, offering to give her a ride, touch her and take her photo, Amormino said.
Nieves-Vera was sentenced to three years in prison in that case and then deported, Amormino said.
Nieves-Vera pleaded not guilty Feb. 15 to three felonies involving the alleged molestation.
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