Man charged with rape after teen’s parents report alleged inappropriate relationship

REXBURG — A 20-year-old man was arrested after a teenager’s parents reported that their daughter was in a sexual relationship with him.

Eli Willis Tremelling, 20, is charged with felony rape of a victim who is 16 or 17, and the perpetrator is three years or more older than the victim.

His bail has also been revoked, due to him allegedly continuing to contact and spend time with the victim after a no-contact order was issued.

According to court documents, a Rexburg Police officer was called to a disturbance around 11:20 p.m. on April 8, involving a 16-year-old girl.

When the officer arrived, she learned that the girl had allegedly been fighting with her parents, due to her being in contact with a 20-year-old man that they did not approve of. Police reports say the girl had been engaged in a sexual relationship with a man identified as Tremelling since January.

According to the girl, the most recent sexual conduct had been three days before, on April 5.

On April 9, the girl was brought to the Rexburg Police Department for an interview with detectives, during which she stated that she met Tremelling on Snapchat in early January through the “quick add” feature. The two began to talk, and they met in person a few days later.

The girl stated that the first sexual encounter happened on or about March 28 at her home in Rexburg, when at this point, she was 17 years old. After this point, the girl told detectives that the two had sex “once or twice a week.”

Detectives obtained the girl’s phone with her parents’ consent. They reportedly found several conversations between the girl and Tremelling, talking about sex, arranging to meet up to have sex, and the possibility of the girl being pregnant.

Court records do not indicate that the girl was ever actually pregnant.

Tremelling was arrested on April 16 and was booked into the Madison County Jail with a $15,000 bond. He paid bail and was released the same day. A no-contact order was issued for the girl, but, according to court records, Tremelling violated it multiple times.

Police say that on May 8, the girl’s parents contacted police, reporting that Tremelling had been contacting their daughter over TikTok.

Tremelling allegedly created a profile with his bio reading, “Lawyer said if you flake on the prosecutor, it would prolly [sic] just go away. Doesn’t have to be over unless you want it to be over. Still love you regardless.”

On May 10, the parents reported that their daughter had left during the night and met with Tremelling. A young girl also told police that she was with the girl at a restaurant when she called Tremelling and spoke to him. Tremelling reportedly told the girl on multiple calls to “say nothing happened so they can be together.”

Police were also shown screenshots of the teen’s messages with Tremelling, in which she told him she was “going to wait for him.” He reportedly responded that he “was in his head because he did not want to think about being in jail for five years.”

Police reports say it is “suspected that (the teen) met with Mr. Tremelling in reference to these messages on May 9, because (the teen) had left her residence at approximately (8:18 p.m.), and did not return until (9:55 p.m).”

A bench warrant was issued, and Tremelling was served with a warrant for violations of the no-contact order. An evidentiary hearing is scheduled for June 1 regarding the alleged violations and the bail revocation resulting from them.

If convicted, Tremelling could face up to life in prison.

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

EastIdahoNews.com reached out to the Tremellings’ public defender, Jim Archibald, for comment, and has not received a response. We will update if we hear back.