Former Hayden resident sentenced for rape
STAFF REPORT | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 years AGO
COEUR d'ALENE — A former Hayden resident was sentenced to 15 years in prison Thursday after pleading guilty to raping a teenager last year.
Stewart Walker Harmon, 36, will be eligible for parole after five years, according to the sentence handed down by District Judge Barry McHugh.
In 2022, Harmon raped a 17-year-old on Christmas Eve while his family was asleep, according to a press release from the Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.
"After the rape, Harmon came back into the room and again touched the victim in a sexual manner. The victim was able to facilitate a law enforcement response," the release said.
The victim was taken to the hospital for a sexual assault examination. Harmon’s DNA was later confirmed to be on the victim’s person, the release said.
Harmon pleaded guilty June 2.
Rape is a felony punishable by up to life in prison.
Criminal Chief Deputy Laura McClinton recommended a 25-year prison sentence with parole eligibility after 10 years.
“Child sexual abuse most frequently occurs at the hands of someone known to the child," said Prosecuting Attorney Stanley Mortensen. "This violation of trust, combined with the abuse, can inflict a lifetime of trauma upon victims. We stand with crime victims who bravely come forward and report their abusers.”
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