A cannery worker has been indicted on sexual assault charges in connection with a July incident that Alaska State Troopers allege occurred in Kenai.

Rosendo Pallones, 39, of Anchorage, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Kenai Superior Court Tuesday. A Kenai Grand Jury indicted Pallones on three counts of first-degree sexual assault on Friday.

One charge of sexual assault in the first-degree was dismissed at a preliminary hearing on Nov. 26 in Kenai District Court. According to court records, the charge was dismissed for having no probable cause. The Kenai District Attorney’s office re-filed a charge of first-degree sexual assault, an unclassified felony.

If convicted, Pallones faces a minimum of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $500,000.

According to a trooper affidavit, on July 25, troopers responded to a report of a sexual assault that took place at a bunkhouse that housed Snug Harbor Seafood cannery employees. A trooper stopped Pallones who was driving a green Honda Passport that matched the vehicle description of the suspect who left the scene of the crime on Kalifornsky Beach Road.

Pallones stated to troopers he was on the beach drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana with a friend when he received a text from a woman inviting him to hang out with her and two other coworkers. After three people in the group left to get ready for work, Pallones was left with the woman, according to the report.

Pallones stated he gave the woman a back massage and then started to touch her genitals and didn’t stop when she asked. When one of the friends came into the room she told troopers she saw Pallones “on top of her having sex with her and she was crying and saying ‘no’,” according to the affidavit.

The alleged victim said everyone had left to get ready for work but Pallones returned to her room two minutes later and asked if she had any snacks. He then started to rub her back and rub her genitals.

She stated that she told Pallones ‘no’ and resisted but he was stronger than her and pulled her pants off and started to rape her until one of the coworkers came into the room and he left, according to the report.

Pallones is in custody at Wildwood Pretrial Facility. His next court date is Jan. 30, 2015.

Reach Dan Balmer at daniel.balmer@peninsulaclarion.com.