ROCKINGHAM — A man wanted on child abuse charges in another county was caught after being cited for fishing violations.
Officers with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission were patrolling along the Pee Dee River late Friday when they found 36-year old Dionisio Estrada-Jimenez cast-netting below the Blewett Falls Dam, according to Sgt. Kyle Young.
Young said Estrada-Jimenez had caught white bass and bream with the net and that cast-netting is only allowed for bait fish. Any game fish caught with a net and not by hook-and-line must be thrown back, he added.
The Wildlife officers cited Estrada-Jimenez for the netting violation and for having undersized fish. However, while running his information, they discovered he had outstanding warrants out of Cumberland County, according to Young.
Records show the defendant is charged with seven counts of intentional child abuse with serious injury; one count of misdemeanor child abuse; and one count of taking indecent liberties with a child.
Based on the case numbers, those charges date back to 2020.
He was booked into the Richmond County Jail at 12:38 a.m. June 4 and is being held on a $250,000 secured bond.
Online court records show the defendant was scheduled to appear in court Monday, June 6 on the Cumberland County charges and has a Sept. 21 court date on the fishing violations.
Records with the N.C. Department of Public Safety Division of Adult Correction show Estrada-Jimenez has no previous convictions in the state.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
