Carson City rape trial ends with a hung jury, DA's office to seek plea agreement

The trial of a man accused of raping a 20-year-old woman in his Woodside Drive garage ended in a hung jury Wednesday night.

District Judge Todd Russell declared the mistrial about 9 p.m., nine hours after jurors began deliberations and after two days of testimony in the case against Juan Carlos Amador.

Assistant District Attorney Gerald Gardner said that he and the defense will meet to see if there is any way to resolve the case with a plea agreement, but if none is reached, the District Attorney's Office will ask for a new trial date.

Amador, 40, is charged with one count of felony sexual assault.

According to the arrest report, the victim was working on a computer in Amador's garage on July 16 when he came in and locked the door behind him.

He then allegedly forced himself on the 20-year-old victim, who tried to fight him off.

A short time later, the girl's mother arrived and began pounding on the door and window and Amador allegedly stopped, telling the victim, "We didn't do anything."

The mother told police she could see Amador getting off her daughter through a crack in the curtains.

When Amador opened the door, the girl ran to her mother and told her what happened and Amador allegedly confessed, saying the sex was consensual, according to the police report.

He remains in custody on $50,000 bail.

• Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.