Flathead District Judge Robert Allison refused to lower bail for a man accused of sexually abusing two young girls in June 2014 and October 2014.

Noah Laverne Powell, 32, will remain jailed with bail set at $130,000 for one count of felony sexual intercourse without consent and another count of felony sexual assault.

“I feel that I have to err on the side of safety for the community, so I’m going to deny the motion,” Allison said.

According to court documents, a mother came to the Kalispell Police Department on June 28, 2015, after her daughter, 11, told her that Powell had touched the girl inappropriately.

The girl told police Powell had touched her on more than one occasion in June and July 2014. The girl said Powell told her “don’t tell anybody what I’m going to do to you” before he assaulted her.

That girl came forward after Powell was charged in another case.

In that case, Powell was arrested after a counselor made a report to authorities after a 14-year-old girl revealed that Powell had given her vodka and marijuana in October 2014 when she was 13 years old. The girl said Powell later had sex with her.

She said he asked later in the day if she wanted to have sex again, and the girl said no.

Powell faces life in prison if he is convicted.

While making the case for bond, Powell admitted that he had prior felony convictions from 2006 and 2011 in Montana. He also was charged with felony bail jumping, but that charge was dismissed.

Powell’s suspended sentences had been revoked multiple times, but he said that he was grateful for the time he spent in Montana State Prison.

“I’m actually glad for that time in my life because I restructured my life, learned a new way of thinking,” Powell said. “I’ve learned the ripple effect of my direct bad decisions.”

While on the stand, Powell neglected to mention that he had also been convicted of a sex crime in Oregon previously. Once it was brought up by prosecutor Alison Howard, Powell characterized the crime as one where he and a 24-year-old woman were “experimenting with a bunch of stuff I hadn’t done before” and he ended up making the woman feel sexually uncomfortable. Powell said he pleaded guilty to the crime because he knew that what he had done was wrong.

Howard pointed out that Powell had not followed through with probation and had warrants issued for his arrest in multiple states because he failed to show up to court.

“He has been convicted of a sex offense previously, he is a persistent felony offender and he has failed to appear in courts many, many times in California and Montana,” Howard told the judge. “I think that speaks volumes.”

Unless he posts bond, Powell will remain jailed until his trial date. His next court date is in April.

Reporter Megan Strickland can be reached at 758-4459 or mstrickland@dailyinterlake.com.