Evergreen man accused of sexually assaulting child

An Evergreen man was arrested Nov. 3 on a $50,000 arrest warrant after the Flathead County Attorney’s Office filed charges alleging that he inappropriately touched a 12-year-old girl.

John Luke Schnabel, 27, was charged with one count of felony sexual intercourse without consent and another count of felony sexual assault.

According to court documents, the now 13-year-old girl reported multiple alleged incidents of inappropriate touching to a therapist in March. The girl told a forensic interviewer that Schnabel had allegedly touched her private parts on multiple occasions in September 2015, including one instance in which the touching caused the girl physical pain. She claimed that Schnabel told her not to tell anyone about the incidents or Schnabel would have to go to jail.

Because of the age of the victim, Schnabel faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison if convicted at trial.

An arraignment and trial date had not been set as of Friday.

Reporter Megan Strickland can be reached at 758-4459 or mstrickland@dailyinterlake.com.