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No charges filed against restaurateur accused of sexual assault
DA wants more time to investigate
Jura-Aghassi-jpg
Jura Aghassi

For the second time the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office has asked the court to grant them more time to decide if they will pursue criminal charges against a Turlock man accused of sexually assaulting an employee at his Oakdale pizzeria.

Jura Aghassi was ordered to appear in Stanislaus County Superior Court Friday for a possible arraignment, but instead was told to go home after the district attorney’s office was given six more months to continue their investigation and decide if charges would be filed.

This was the second time the district attorney’s office has requested more time on Aghassi’s case. In November prosecutors requested and were granted a two-month extension to conduct further investigation into the allegations against Aghassi.

Aghassi was arrested in October 2014 by the Oakdale Police Department on allegations of sexual assault, which were lodged by a woman who worked for Aghassi at his now defunct Oakdale restaurant. Aghassi is the namesake of the Jura’s Pizza Parlor in Turlock, but is not the owner of that location.

The Oakdale Police Department received a complaint from a 19-year-old woman on Sept. 15, 2014, claiming she had been sexually assaulted by Aghassi while in his office at the Oakdale eatery. On Sept. 23, 2014, the victim filed for a restraining order against Aghassi, claiming she had been threatened by him for reporting the incident. In the affidavit for the restraining order, the 19-year-old claims Aghassi allegedly tried to take off her shirt and put his hands down her pants.

The temporary restraining order issued in the case was dropped on Jan. 15. The court records indicate it was dismissed for lack of prosecution, which typically means the individual requesting the restraining order did not appear in court to prove cause for continuing the order.

“For the past 10 years that my sister and I have owned Jura’s, we’ve never been so grateful for our loyal customers,” said Papiola Aghassi, who co-owns the Turlock restaurant with her sister and is the sister of Jura Aghassi. “In regards to my brother, we have always believed the charges against him were absolutely false. It is possible the district attorney has not filed charges because they have concerns about proving the allegations.”