SANDPOINT — A pair of dishearteningly similar child sex abuse cases are emerging in Bonner County Magistrate Court, records show.

Jacob Steven McKnight, 18, and Ezra Tyrone Baker, 20, have been taken into custody on unrelated rape and lewd conduct charges. McKnight is being held in lieu of $25,000 bail, while Baker is being held in lieu of $21,000 bail.

McKnight made an initial court appearance via video feed from the Bonner County Jail on Tuesday, while Baker appeared in court on Wednesday. Public defenders were appointed to represent the men and orders were entered forbidding them from contacting the alleged victims in their respective cases, according to court documents.

A probable cause affidavit in McKnight’s case alleges he repeatedly physically and sexually abused her over a four-year period ending in June. She told investigators that she attempted to ward off the attacks, but she was overcome by force the affidavit said.

However, the charges rape and lewd conduct charges against McKnight are confined to June of this year, according to the criminal complaint.

Baker is accused of repeatedly sexually abusing two minors over an extended period of time which ended earlier this month, court records indicate. He so far faces charges involving one of the minors, now 14, for misconduct in September and November of this year.

A forensic interview is pending for the other alleged victim, who is now 19.

In both cases, the alleged victims broke the cycle of abuse by disclosing it to adults and authorities, court records show. The 19-year-old declined to report the abuse while it was occurring, but raised the alarm when she discovered he was preying on the girl who is now 13, according to the affidavit.

Both defendants confessed to the sexual abuse when they were confronted by sheriff’s investigators, court documents state.

Preliminary hearings in the cases are set for Dec. 5 in magistrate court. The hearings will determine if the state possesses enough evidence to justify trying them in 1st District Court.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.