Pillans pleads not guilty to rape, sexual assault

William James Pillans pleaded not guilty April 28 to charges stemming from an underage 2021 Halloween party where he allegedly raped one teen girl and sexually assaulted two others.

Pillans, 25, who remains in the county jail on a $200,000 bond, briefly appeared before Judge Amy Eddy in Flathead County District Court on Thursday. Along with sexual intercourse without consent, the Kalispell resident faces a felony sexual assault charge as well as a misdemeanor sexual assault charge.

Prosecutors alleged that Pillans posed as an 18-year-old at the Oct. 30 party, bringing moonshine to the gathering and trying to persuade the minors to drink it. Throughout, he acted “odd and sexually aggressive,” witnesses said, according to court documents.

One victim recalled Pillans entering her bedroom and crawling into bed with her, court documents said. Although asked to leave her alone, he allegedly got atop her and raped her.

A second victim remembered coming into the room sometime after and laying down next to the first girl. She later awoke to Pillans groping her, court documents said. When she confronted him, he stopped.

But she allegedly woke up a second time to find him groping her again. She forced him off of her, court documents said.

A third victim gave a similar account to authorities.

Pillans later acknowledged attending the party, court documents said. He admitted only to spooning with one of the victims.

Along with the sex charges, Pillans faces a petition to revoke in district court. At the time of the party, Pillans was serving a suspended five-year sentence on a criminal endangerment conviction by way of an Alford plea.

Among the violations of the terms of his sentence, Pillans refused to let law enforcement personnel into his home on April 13, wrote Probation and Parole Officer Steve Watson in a report. When authorities eventually got inside to arrest him, they found Pillans hiding under his bed.

“[Pillans] has a history of being uncooperative when he is getting arrested or in custody,” Watson wrote. “[Pillans] also lied to Probation Officer [Darrell] Vanderhoef and struggles to be honest and forthcoming.”

He is due back in court May 5 for a hearing on the petition. An omnibus hearing in the rape and sexual assault case is set for May 11 with a pretrial conference to follow on June 1.

The felony sexual assault charge carries a maximum punishment of life behind bars or between four and 100 years in Montana State Prison. Sexual intercourse without consent comes with a penalty of between two and 100 years in prison. Both carry a maximum fine of $50,000.

Misdemeanor sexual assault is punishable by up to a year in county jail and a $1,000 fine.

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