Kalispell man pleads guilty to rape charge

A Kalispell man accused of raping a teenage girl in 2016 appeared in Flathead District Court recently to change his plea.

Hank Coughran Jones, 41, first pleaded not guilty then later entered an Alford plea in July 2017. In an Alford plea a defendant pleads guilty but asserts his or her innocence.

Jones withdrew the Alford plea May 3 and pleaded guilty to sexual intercourse without consent.

During the May 3 hearing, Jones testified that he knew the girl was under 16.

Judge Dan Wilson scheduled sentencing for May 17.

According to court documents, a relative of the victim contacted the Whitefish Police Department on Nov. 8, 2016 to report information concerning the sexual conduct between Jones and the then 15-year-old victim.

The relative reportedly told police about finding a ringing cellphone he did not recognize in the victim’s bedroom and answered the FaceTime [video] phone call. The relative said he allegedly recognized Jones on the other line, before Jones hung up.

There were reportedly extensive conversations between Jones and the victim along with multiple pictures of Jones exposing his genitals on the phone, according to court documents. The victim allegedly received the phone from Jones after her cellphone had been taken away.

After the phone was analyzed, law enforcement officials reportedly found numerous photos of Jones exposing his genitals and nude photos of the victim that had been exchanged, according to court documents.

Police also reportedly discovered photographs of Jones and the victim engaging in sexual intercourse sent between the two phones.

During an interview with law enforcement, the victim allegedly said she and Jones engaged in sexual intercourse on two occasions at his residence.