C. Falls men charged in sexual assualt
The Daily Inter Lake
Two Columbia Falls men have been charged with felonies after a 14-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted at a Whitefish hotel last Friday night.
Max Gregory Goe, 18, is charged with sexual intercourse without consent and felony criminal endangerment. Logan Jon Sandman, also 18, is charged with felony criminal endangerment.
Both are seniors at Columbia Falls High School, where the girl also attends school.
In court documents filed by Flathead Deputy County Attorney Dan Guzynski, Whitefish police said they were called to the Super 8 Motel on a report of a missing 14-year-old girl. Hotel staff directed officer Rob Veneman to a guest room, where he reportedly heard voices and noises in the room.
Veneman knocked on the door and Goe eventually answered, reportedly wearing only pants. When asked, Goe said nobody else was in the room and allowed the officer to go inside to check.
Veneman looked out an open window and saw the girl lying face down in the snow three stories below, where she was conscious and complained of leg injuries. She was taken by ambulance to North Valley Hospital, where doctors found both her legs and one hand were broken.
Officers later found Sandman near a vehicle in the vicinity of the hotel, also reportedly wearing only pants.
The girl told police that a friend had driven her to the Columbia Falls Town Pump, where Goe and Sandman then picked her up and drove her to the Whitefish Super 8.
In the hotel room, she told police, Goe and Sandman had a case of beer. She said she drank six or seven beers, then engaged in sex with Goe.
When Veneman knocked on the door, the girl said Goe told her and Sandman to leave. Sandman reportedly told her to jump out the window, which she did, then he jumped after her. She told him she was hurt, but he reportedly fled without offering help.
Police found several condom wrappers and one used condom inside the hotel room.
In Montana, anyone younger than 16 is considered incapable of consenting to sex.
Goe and Sandman made their initial appearance in Flathead County justice court on Tuesday. Goe is being held on $50,000 bail in the Flathead County Detention Center. Sandman was released on his $25,000 bail, after posting a $50,000 property bond.
If convicted, Goe could be sentenced to anywhere from four to 100 years in prison and be fined $50,000 for the sexual intercourse charge, and up to 10 years in prison and up to $50,000 for the endangerment charge.
If convicted, Sandman could receive up to 10 years in prison and up to a $50,000 fine.
Arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 18.