The man charged with raping a young Salvadoran girl he was allegedly smuggling across the country pleaded not guilty, Tuesday at Superior Court in Milford to the rape, kidnapping and assault charges levied against him.

Francisco Pascual, 25, was arrested in Milford in December after a girl, who is under 13-years-old, was found wandering around at a Boston Post Road gas station. She told police through the help of a New Haven police officer, who acted as an Spanish translator, that Pascual had raped and assaulted her in a nearby hotel.

The girls parents, who live in the Boston area, told police they paid Pascual to transport their daughter to them from California.

Superior Court Judge John Ronan set Pascual's next court date for Feb. 26. The month delay before Pascual's next court date i s because, "considerable work remains to be done," Ronan said.

Read more about it in tomorrow's Register in print or online at http://www.nhregister.com/ .