BOZEMAN — A man is accused of rape after allegedly bringing a woman who witnesses say appeared very intoxicated to his apartment from a downtown Bozeman bar in September.
Court documents say a woman contacted the Bozeman Police Department around 5 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, to report that she had been sexually assaulted.
The woman had reportedly gone to the emergency room to undergo a sexual assault forensic examination.
According to court documents, at the emergency room, the woman told a Bozeman Police detective she had gone to the Armory in downtown Bozeman with her boyfriend.
She said had no memory of what happened after going to the Armory and woke up in an unfamiliar apartment with several unknown men.
The victim told the detective she woke to find herself nude from the waist down with one of the men kissing her neck and felt she had been sexually assaulted.
Court documents say the woman found a kitchen knife in the apartment and fled, seeking help from nearby residents.
The results of the forensic exam reportedly showed injuries to her vaginal area, along with multiple bruises and scratches on her body. The detective noted that the victim was visibly upset and began to cry at times as he spoke with her.
The victim reportedly told the detective she was in a monogamous relationship with her boyfriend and had no intention of being sexually active with anyone else.
Police detained four men and one woman believed to be involved, and they agreed to be interviewed at the Bozeman Public Safety Center.
From the interviews, the detective learned that the suspect had been at Bar 9 in downtown Bozeman and left with the victim, who one witness described as being “very drunk.” The witness described the suspect as being “a little drunk.”
Court documents say the witness later entered the suspect’s apartment and saw the victim, who seemed upset and was holding a knife.
The detective obtained a search warrant for the suspect’s apartment in the area of Oak and 25th. The detective said in court documents he used “an alternate light source device” and observed indications of bodily fluids on the suspect’s bed. He also reportedly found a piece of a torn-off condom wrapper.
On Friday, Oct. 4, detectives contacted the suspect at his job site. He was read his Miranda rights and allegedly said he had been at Bar 9 the prior weekend where he met the victim. According to court documents, he told the detectives he and the woman had consensual sex at his residence.
The suspect allegedly said neither he or the victim was drunk and that she never appeared to be upset or confused. He then requested an attorney, which ended the interview.
The suspect was arrested and taken to the Gallatin County Detention Center. According to the inmate roster, his bond has been set at $25,000 and he remains in custody on an immigration detainer, also known as an ICE hold.
