Out-of-state man faces a potential life sentence for an alleged rape in Pocatello

POCATELLO — A Wenatchee, Washington man has been charged with rape by use of physical force in Bannock County.

Jacob David Hill, 19, faces a felony charge and potential life sentence, court records show.

The Bannock County Sheriff’s Office received a call reporting a rape on Oct. 20, according to an affidavit of probable cause. The caller said their teenage daughter had been raped by Hill around 9 p.m. the night prior.

The caller told deputies that the victim was playing video games with Hill, who said he had just moved to town from Oklahoma. The caller said that Hill began to “make moves” on the victim. The victim, the caller said, told Hill to stop multiple times.

Because deputies identified Hill as a potential flight risk and scheduled an emergency forensic interview with the victim.

The victim provided deputies with a screenshot of a Snapchat message in which Hill allegedly told another person that he and the victim had sex.

Following a brief pre-interview with the victim, an interviewer at an advocacy center told deputies that the victim needed more time before she would be ready for a complete interview, the affidavit says. The decision was made to conduct a “basic facts interview” and then take the victim to Portneuf Medical Center for a sexual assault exam.

During the interview, the victim said that she and Hill were at his home when she began feeling unwell. At one point, the victim said, Hill started to tickle her. She asked him to stop.

She said he responded by grabbing her by the back of the neck and forcing her into the bed. That was when he raped her, she said, despite her begging him to stop.

Deputies were able to determine Hill’s identification and location.

When they arrived at his home, deputies found Hill sitting on the front porch. He said he had been waiting for officers because he wanted to “clear his name,” the affidavit says.

Inside an interview room at the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, Hill said that he and the victim were with some friends playing video games until the others left. Once they were alone, he said the two began tickling and playing, then kissing. Then he took off his clothes, and she took off hers, and the two had sex.

Hill denied the victim ever said no, or stop, or attempted to push him away. There were two other people inside the home who did not hear a struggle, Hill added, volunteering to take a lie detector test.

It was decided that probable cause supporting an arrest did not exist, and Hill was allowed to leave.

A full forensic interview with the victim was conducted on Oct. 27.

During the interview, the victim told the interviewer that Hill informed people she knew he was attempting to return to Oklahoma to avoid further interactions with police.

The victim told the interviewer much of the same information that had been provided to deputies the day the rape was reported. She said that she told Hill several times to stop. At one point, she said, Hill got on top of her and told her not to tell anyone.

She said she did not want to say anything for fear that Hill would hurt her.

Deputies spoke with a family member of the victim, who said they did not believe the victim would have consensual sex with Hill. The family member said that the victim would not cheat on her boyfriend and would have no interest in “guys that are a foot shorter than her.”

Hill was interviewed by deputies again on Nov. 2.

During the second interview, he allegedly admitted to telling the victim not to tell anyone about their sexual interaction.

Deputies noted in reports that Hill maintained his version of the story, that the two had consensual sex. Still, it was determined that there was sufficient evidence, and Hill was arrested.

He was booked into Bannock County Jail, where he is being held on a $25,000 bond. A no-contact order has been issued, barring contact between Hill and the victim.

Though Hill has been charged with this crime, it does not necessarily mean he committed it. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.

If he is found guilty, Hill could face up to life in prison.

He is scheduled to appear in court before Magistrate Judge Thomas Clark for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 15.