Wyoming man accused of forced assault, charged with rape
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POCATELLO — Police say a Wilson, Wyoming, man forcibly raped a Pocatello woman. He now faces multiple felony charges.
Nicholas James Weston, 20, has been charged with one count of rape and one count of intimidating or impeding a witness, court records show.
May 17, 2022
Pocatello police received a call from a woman who said a family member was the victim of a sexual assault.
Officers spoke with the victim, who said she and Weston had communicated online for two or three weeks. Weston contacted her the previous day to ask if she wanted to “hang out,” she told police. According to the affidavit, she told Weston she didn’t but agreed to go for a drive with him later.
While on a drive, the victim said, she and Weston stopped to watch a movie on Weston’s computer. During the movie, Weston tried to kiss the victim, but she pulled away from him and told him to stop. However, he then “touched her inappropriately,” and she again pulled away from him.
Weston held her down and took her clothes off, according to the affidavit.
The victim said she was crying and saying, “Stop. Stop. Stop.” Eventually, she managed to “wiggle” one of her legs free and used it to kick Weston in the throat.
She said Weston agreed to drive her home.
The victim agreed to give officers the clothes she was wearing at the time of the incident and submit to a sexual assault examination. Officers set her up for the examination at Portneuf Medical Center.
Using Weston’s social media pages and a match from a photo lineup provided by the victim, officers put out a warrant, which was sent to the Teton County Sheriff’s Office in Wyoming.
Weston was tracked down and arrested in December with assistance from county and state agencies in Wyoming. He was released after posting a $100,000 bond on Jan. 9.
Though Weston has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.
If he is found guilty, Weston would face up to life in prison.
He is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing before Magistrate Judge Carol Tippi Jarman on Monday.