Felony charges brought against man accused of choking, raping girlfriend’s teenage daughter
Wualter Traviesosoto. (Photo courtesy the Flathead County Sheriff's Office)
A 29-year-old man accused of raping the underage daughter of his dead girlfriend is facing multiple charges in Flathead County District Court.
Prosecutors have charged Waulter Jesus Traviesosoto, alternatively spelled as Travieso Soto in jail records, with felony counts of sexual intercourse without consent and strangulation of a partner or family member. He pleaded not guilty before Judge Danni Coffman at his April 9 arraignment.
Traviesosoto remains in the county jail, held on an immigration detainer and $200,000 bail.
The Flathead County Sheriff's Office began investigating Traviesosoto at the behest of his former girlfriend's sister in May 2025, according to court documents. The woman told authorities that when her sister died in a car accident in 2024, Traviesosoto took custody of her three children, who were from a prior relationship and unrelated to him. He also prevented her from seeing the children, including trying to file a restraining order against her, court documents said.
As she sought legal help to gain guardianship over the children, she came across photos and video of Traviesosoto with the children that made her suspicious of his relationship with them, court documents alleged. The images and recordings showed Traviesosoto kissing and holding her eldest niece "in a romantic manner," court documents said.
Traviesosoto allegedly also bought the teenage girl gifts and flowers, and he responded to her social media posts with heart emojis, she told investigators.
Once she secured guardianship of the three children, she learned from the eldest that Traviesosoto had tried to kiss her on several occasions. The teenager later told her that Traviesosoto had raped her and had choked her once when she was talking to a male friend on the phone, court documents alleged.
During a forensic interview, the teenager said that Traviesosoto had raped her several times, the first occurring in Kalispell, according to court documents. She alleged that Traviesosoto choked her for about two minutes at a different house in Flathead County.
If convicted of sexual intercourse without consent, Traviesosoto faces between four and 100 years in Montana State Prison and a $50,000 fine. Strangulation is punishable by a maximum of five years behind bars and a $50,000 fine.
News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 406-758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.