Local man gets rider for rape of a 16-year-old
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IDAHO FALLS – A 20-year-old man was sentenced on Wednesday for the rape of a 16-year-old girl.
Coltin James Hawley was sentenced by retired District Judge Alan Stephens, who was filling in for District Judge Bruce Pickett, to a minimum of two years and a maximum of 12 years in prison.
Stephens retained jurisdiction on the case, meaning Hawley will complete a rider treatment program in prison for one year. Once the program is done, Stephens or Pickett can decide whether or not to send him to prison for his given sentence or release him into probation.
Hawley will receive credit for 12 days already spent in local jail.
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A no-contact order will remain in place for the victim for 30 years, and Hawley will be required to pay $2,045 in court fees.
Hawley initially pleaded not guilty to felony rape of a victim who is 16 or 17 years of age. He accepted a plea agreement in July, which stated he would plead guilty to the charge if the prosecution agreed to recommend a retained jurisdiction with an underlying sentence of a minimum of two years and a maximum of 12 years.
Stephens denied a request from EastIdahoNews.com to record audio, video, or take photos during the sentencing.
Background of the case
In Aug. 2022, relatives of the victim reported the alleged rape to the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office.
When deputies met with the relatives, they explained Hawley had been sexting their 16-year-old relative, according to court documents.
Deputies learned Hawley and the victim had known each other since she was 13 and Hawley was 17. Court documents say they began sending each other naked photos around this time.
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Relatives say they found Hawley and the victim in a car together in June. The relatives also discovered explicit “sexual text messages” between Hawley and the victim.
The relatives contacted Hawley and said they would call the police about the incidents. Hawley reportedly said he was sorry and would stop.
After contacting authorities, the relatives provided deputies with the sexually explicit text messages.
When interviewed by deputies, the victim initially denied having sex with Hawley or exchanging nude photos. The victim later admitted that Hawley first had sex with her a few months before her 16th birthday. She also said there had been some sexual contact with Hawley when she was as young as 13.
Deputies were told Hawley would sneak into the victim’s bedroom at night, and the victim said cameras may have caught him approaching the house.
Deputies later found Hawley at his home, where they asked him about having sex with the victim. He initially denied it, but later admitted to police that he had been involved with the teenager.
Hawley also reportedly admitted to “sharing nudes” with the victim. He said he deleted everything from his phone and the last time he had sex with the victim was a month and a half prior.
Hawley was arrested on Nov. 9 and booked into the Bonneville County Jail on $10,000 bond.