Flathead Valley man accused of rape again

A Flathead Valley man accused of rape two years ago is back in jail after law enforcement officials allege he was involved in a similar incident in Missoula County in June.

David Scott Whitford, 24, was charged with raping a 15-year-old girl at a Kalispell hotel while she tried to sleep on March 13, 2019. Whitford, who was 21 at the time, eventually pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of criminal endangerment and received a three-year deferred sentence from Flathead County District Court Judge Robert Allison on April 16, 2020.

According to court documents filed by his probation officer on June 16, 2021, the Missoula Police Department asked Kalispell police officers to interview Whitford as part of an ongoing investigation.

Missoula police are alleging Whitford drove multiple underage girls to Missoula. While there, police said Whitford gave alcohol to a 16-year-old girl when she was too drunk to give consent and then raped her.

When a Kalispell police detective spoke to Whitford, he allegedly said he had consensual sex with a 16-year-old girl.

According to probation officer Michael Hope, Whitford allegedly met the 16-year-old girl through a digital messaging app and numerous photos on his phone were of women in sexualized poses. The girl said she saw Whitford at locations in town where children congregate, such as the Woodland Skate Park.

Hope wrote in a report that if Whitford is found in violation of his probation his deferred sentence should be revoked and he should be sentenced to 10 years in the Montana State Prison.

Other recommendations include Whitford complete sex offender treatment and not frequent places where children gather.

Whitford is currently lodged in the Flathead County Detention Center on $50,000 bail. He is scheduled for a hearing in front of Judge Allison at 9 a.m. Thursday, July 8.