An 18-year-old Oak Harbor man pleaded not guilty Dec. 10 to raping a 14-year-old girl.

Prosecutors charged Paul Alvarez, Jr., in Island County Superior Court Nov. 23 with two counts of rape of a child in the third degree, which is a “statutory rape” charge for allegedly having sex with a child under 16 but at least 14 years old.

Detective Sue Quandt with the Island County Sheriff’s Office investigated the complaint. She wrote in a affidavit of probable cause that the girl said Alvarez forced her to have sex against her will on two separate occasions last summer.

Judge Alan Hancock set Alvarez’s bail at $25,000 Nov. 19 and ordered him not to have contact with children under the age of 16, except for his siblings. Alvarez made bail three days later and was released.

If convicted of the charges, Alvarez could face a sentence of two years and two months to two years and 10 months in prison. His trial is set for March 8.