Whatcom man arrested on suspicion of rape after woman he knows finds him in her bed

A woman who lives near Everson reportedly woke up Friday morning in her home feeling “dizzy and disoriented” and found a man she is familiar with lying next to her in bed.

Steven Maurice Paschel, 43, was arrested by the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office without incident later Friday and booked into Whatcom County Jail on suspicion of second-degree rape, first-degree burglary, residential burglary and second-degree theft. He remained in jail Tuesday on $40,000 bail.

Deputies responded at 11:20 a.m. to investigate a possible rape in the 7300 block of Everson Goshen Road, Chief Criminal Deputy Doug Chadwick said.

Deputies met with the victim, who reportedly said she awoke at about 7 a.m. to find Paschel, who she said has never lived at the address and did not have permission to be in the house, lying next to her in bed. She also reported that her vision was blurry, Chadwick said.

“Her memory of the evening was spotty, but she believes she may have been drugged during the night,” Chadwick said. “The victim claimed that Steven is not welcome in her home and she would not consent to having sexual relations with him.”

Chadwick said the victim also showed deputies that she received a text from Paschel at 7 a.m. that stated, “I had sex with you last night.”

The victim’s boyfriend also told deputies that he received texts from Paschel Friday morning. Chadwick said one of the texts from Paschel at 5:27 a.m. said he had just had sex with the victim, and a second text at 5:29 a.m. included an image of the victim sleeping with Paschel flipping off the camera.

Deputies interviewed Paschel, who Chadwick said admitted to going to the victim’s house and claimed he’s lived there since July 2018. Paschel also told deputies the victim was “clearly intoxicated” when he arrived at approximately 11 p.m. Thursday, that she could barely walk and was “extremely emotional,” Chadwick said.

According to Chadwick, Paschel told deputies that he brought the victim blankets, because she was shivering while sitting outside, and she later wanted to take a shower. Paschel told deputies he helped the victim undress and get in the shower and Chadwick said he admitted to having sex with her.

Chadwick said reports did not mention theft, and he was not certain whether that was from a previous incident or warrant.