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Man accused of carving his name into girlfriend’s chest

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A Santa Ana man pleaded not guilty Monday to carving his name into his girlfriend’s chest with a razor blade, prosecutors said.

Sergio Joaquin Mendoza, 25, faces kidnapping, threat and domestic battery charges and is accused of using a deadly weapon in the attack, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s office.

Santa Ana police arrested Mendoza on Thursday in a relative’s garage, prosecutors said.

The couple’s trouble came to a head when Mendoza punched his girlfriend several times during multiple arguments, prosecutors said.

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He had been living at a relative’s home in Santa Ana between March 17 and 20, and the couple was in a relationship.

But then on about March 22, he tried to prevent her from leaving the house and told her she could go only if she allowed him to carve his name into her chest with a razor blade, which he did, prosecutors said. After allegedly carving into her chest, he forced her to stay inside the home, prosecutors said.

That night, he forced her inside his car and drove her to several parking lots throughout the city, prosecutors said.

As Mendoza held her against her will in his vehicle, prosecutors said, she was choked, punched and head-butted.

But she broke free and escaped. She ran to a local business and told an employee about the abuse.

If convicted, Mendoza faces up to 11 years and eight months in prison. He is being held on $100,000 bail.

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