A 17-year-old from Idaho has been formally charged with rape following an investigation that was initiated several months ago, sparked by a report from the victim’s step-grandfather.
Zaiden C. Evans, if convicted, could face a sentence of up to life imprisonment, as reported by EastIdahoNews.com.
The investigation by the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office began on April 9, after the step-grandfather alerted authorities about the alleged rape involving Evans and another 16-year-old male suspect.
During questioning, the girl recounted how she had secretly left her house to meet the 16-year-old, who, along with Evans, drove her to the 16-year-old’s residence—a camper trailer located near her step-grandfather’s home.
According to the girl’s testimony, they were “hanging out” when she engaged in consensual sexual activity with the 16-year-old. However, after this encounter, she reported that Evans forcibly raped her.
Court documents reveal that despite repeatedly pleading for Evans to stop, he persisted, and her attempts to resist him proved futile.
After Evans raped the girl, the two boys took her back to her step-grandfather’s home.
Apparently, the girl told her mother, who was in California at the time, and she told the step-grandfather.
Deputies collected the clothes the girl was wearing at the time and set up a rape examination and an interview with the girl.
Months later, on September 17, a deputy followed up on the rape examination and told the girl it had found two male DNA profiles on her body. A week later, deputies obtained and executed a warrant for DNA swabs of Evans. The DNA report came back in November, showing that Evans’ DNA was found on the girl’s body.
It’s not clear why deputies took so long to obtain Evans’ DNA, or why it took them two more months after the report came back to file charges.
Evans will be tried as an adult. It’s not clear if the 16-year-old has been charged. Evans has been charged with raping a victim not capable of giving consent — at 13, the girl cannot give consent.
Evans is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on January 28.
