Property manager accused of rape, using eviction as threat

A Kalispell man faces a felony sexual intercourse without consent charge in Flathead County District Court after allegedly raping a low-income housing tenant under the threat of eviction last year.

Richard Gordon Dilka, 34, is being held in the Flathead County Detention Center on a $50,000 bond pending his May 5 arraignment. Dilka initially denied the allegations, but later admitted having sex with the victim, according to court documents.

Kalispell police began investigating Dilka after receiving a tip on March 1, 2021. They met with the victim, who told them that Dilka forced himself on her on Jan. 6 of that same year. She lived in a low-income housing unit and Dilka was the property manager, court documents said.

According to the victim, Dilka used a master key to enter her home. He then coerced her into sexual intercourse using the threat of eviction, court documents said.

In a separate interview, Dilka denied both the allegations and possession of a key to the victim’s apartment. But he eventually acknowledged having sex with the victim, according to court documents. He allegedly told investigators it could have happened on Jan. 7, 2021, when he was “extremely intoxicated.”

Investigators also checked with a locksmith and determined “Dilka likely did have a key to [the victim’s] room,” court documents said.

A warrant for Dilka’s arrest was issued April 1, 2022.

Sexual intercourse without consent carries a maximum penalty of life behind bars or imprisonment between two and 100 years, and a $50,000 fine.

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 406-758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com.