Janitor arrested in connection with the death of a young escort in Newport Beach

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (FOX 11 / CNS) - A 29-year-old man suspected of killing a young female escort whose body was found in a Newport Beach office complex where he worked as a janitor pleaded not guilty today to murder.

Nain Isaac Nieto Hernandez was scheduled to next appear in court Jan. 12 for a pretrial hearing. He faces 25 years to life if convicted.

Hernandez was arrested Wednesday in connection with Tuesday's death of 23-year-old Sarai Alcaraz of Long Beach.

Alcaraz was working as an escort and went to meet Hernandez at the building at 5030 Campus Drive, according to Jennifer Manzella of the Newport Beach Police Department.

Alcaraz worked for Cyren Entertainment in Fullerton, which bills itself as an "adult entertainment agency" that provides "entertainers" for various types of parties and events, according to a law enforcement source.

Authorities have not disclosed how Alcaraz was killed. An autopsy was performed Wednesday, but the cause of death was pending further investigation and toxicology tests.

Police received a call at 12:11 a.m. Tuesday requesting a welfare check, and officers went to the business complex, Manzella said. The welfare request came from Alcaraz's driver, according to a law enforcement source.

Police declined to say whether the body bore signs of trauma.

Hernandez pleaded guilty in October 2010 to "knowingly possessing false government documents," some of which were "illegally obtained" from the Department of Motor Vehicles, according to his plea deal form obtained by City News Service. He was arrested in Tustin for driving without a valid driver's license, court records show.

Hernandez was initially sentenced to 20 days in jail and 20 days working on a Caltrans crew, but failed to keep up with payments on the fine and complete the Caltrans work so his probation was revoked in June 2013, according
to court records.

An arrest warrant was issued for him in June for the same reasons, and he was ordered to perform 76 hours of community service, which he completed in October.

Hernandez was refunded $1,195 in overpayment of fines last month, according to court records.