Man pleads innocent in rape case

A 26-year-old Whitefish man pleaded not guilty to rape Thursday in Flathead District Court.

Timothy House was charged with felony sexual intercourse without consent for an alleged 2007 rape after he became a suspect in an alleged sexual assault against a Conrad woman in 2011.

While there had not been enough evidence to charge him in 2007, a sample of his DNA was entered into a national database following the 2011 sexual assault. That sample matched a rape kit entered into the database from the 2007 crime.

When that match was reported to Whitefish police, a warrant for another DNA sample was secured, and that sample was used to confirm the match.

According to court documents, House is alleged to have held down and raped a woman in Whitefish on Feb. 26, 2007.

If convicted, he will face between two and 100 years in jail and a fine of up to $50,000. His next hearing is scheduled for April 11.