Sandpoint man charged with forcible rape
EMILY BONSANT | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 8 months AGO
I have deep North Idaho roots and graduated from Eastern Washington University with an English degree with a creative writing emphasis with a minor in film. I worked at at the Bonner County Daily Bee before coming to work at the Bonners Ferry Herald in August 2021. I enjoy writing for the paper that my great-grandfather read and covering the same small town community that is still alive today. I cover all things Badger sports, local politics and government, community news, business, outdoors and appear on the 7Bee podcast for the Herald's update. When I'm not working I can be found reading a good book and sipping tea, knitting or attempting to sign opera. | July 21, 2022 1:00 AM
Story has been updated.
BONNERS FERRY — A Sandpoint man has been charged with forcible rape against a minor under 16.
Brandon M. Watterson, 40, is being charged for an alleged incident involving a teenage victim that took place in November or December in 2019.
A preliminary hearing was reset because Watterson did not have an attorney at the time of his initial hearing before Judge Debra A. Heise on July 15. As a result, the hearing was postponed to Aug. 5.
According to court documents, the alleged victim was allegedly raped in her bedroom in 2019. She was 14 at the time.
In an affidavit written by Boundary County Detective Caleb Watts on Jan. 31, 2021, Watterson allegedly crawled into teen’s bed and forcibly raped her. In the affidavit, Watts said the teen did not initially report the incident because she thought it would be her word against his.
If found guilty, Watterson is facing life in prison. A no contact order is in place.
Watterson has previously been charged with injury to a child, a felony, in Bonner County. As of August 2021, he was set to serve three years with an indeterminate period of four years. Additionally, he has three misdemeanor drunken driving charges, all from Bonner County.
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