Man suspected of child rape, making social media threats against another victim
An 18-year-old man suspected of having sexual intercourse with a child he was familiar with also reportedly sent threatening social media messages to another victim.
Bellingham Police booked James Bryan Flores into Whatcom County Jail Monday, July 15, on suspicion of third-degree child rape. Flores also was booked on suspicion of felony harassment in an unrelated incident, and jail records show he is suspected of driving without a license and DUI.
According to information provided to The Bellingham Herald by Lt. Claudia Murphy, Flores had sexual intercourse with a victim who was four years younger than him and younger than 16, the legal age of consent in the state.
Murphy also said that at about 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 13, officers responded to a report of threats made by Flores to another male he had recently stopped socializing with.
During the past month, Flores reportedly sent threatening messages via social media, Murphy said, including threats that he was going to assault the victim, kill the victim and his family and burn the victim’s house down when they ran into each other.
During a Skagit County stolen vehicle investigation Monday, Murphy said Flores was arrested on the Bellingham Police Department’s probable cause statements.
This story was originally published July 17, 2019 at 5:00 AM.
