Man convicted of possessing child sexual abuse material under investigation for raping teen actress at theater where he worked

Police are investigating new allegations that a man convicted last year of possessing child pornography raped a young actress in 2019 while working at Spokane Children’s Theater.

In December 2019, the man was contracted to run the lighting system for the Spokane Children’s Theater holiday performances, according to the search warrant.

After a matinee performance one day, he asked the girl to help him carry boxes to his car. Once in the parking lot he allegedly pushed her into his backseat, where he locked the doors and raped her, according to the warrant.

Eventually, a woman left the theater , the victim told police, so he let the girl out of the car and told her not to tell anyone what happened because “it would be much worse next time,” according to the search warrant.

The girl walked back into the theater and the man left the scene, according to the search warrant.

The Spokane Children’s Theater did not immediately respond to request for comment.

The man then went to his parents’ house where he changed clothes before driving to Skate Plaza, a roller rink in Coeur d’Alene.

At the time of the assault in December 2019, the man was being watched by Coeur d’Alene police who were investigating a child molestation case at Skate Plaza.

He was arrested later that night. Shortly after his initial arrest, the man paid a bail bond and was released, only to be rearrested a few days later when a search of his cellphone revealed child sexual abuse material, according to the warrant.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child sexually exploitative material and one count of injury to a child in February 2020.

Police interviewed the man in jail after the new rape allegation came to light earlier this month, according to the search warrant. He denied raping the girl; however, police were granted a search warrant to look for any DNA left in his vehicle, which has been in his parents’ possession since his arrest in the Coeur d’Alene case.