Bellingham man suspected of raping 2 girls he met online, later threatening one for photos
A Bellingham man is suspected of meeting two girls younger than 14 online and having illegal sexual contact with each in separate incidents, and he allegedly later used threats to get one of the victims to send him nude photos of herself.
Additionally, the man is suspected of inflicting months of physical, mental and emotional abuse on another female victim, including using a phone charging cord and a snowboard as weapons in assaults last month.
Bellingham Police booked Jonathan David Alex, 23, into Whatcom County Jail on suspicion of rape, child rape, assault, harassment and communicating with a minor for immoral purposes, and jail records show he is being held in lieu of $250,000 bail.
Officers were notified May 11 and began investigating a report that Alex had sexual contact with a girl who was younger than 14, Lt. Claudia Murphy told The Bellingham Herald in an email.
The victim reported that she met Alex through a social media app, and that he had claimed he was 16, Murphy reported, though the victim told Alex her real age. They arranged to meet, and Alex reportedly initiated sexual intercourse.
Over the next several weeks Alex continued to contact the victim via social media, according to Murphy, and through coercion and threats, he was able to obtain nude photos of the victim.
When the victim later refused to comply with Alex’s demands, Murphy said he made threats to kill her and sent a photo of a gun.
The victim positively identified Alex as the person who had sexually assaulted and harassed her, Murphy reported, and last week detectives served a search warrant and arrested him without incident.
While Alex was in jail, police served him with probable cause for another rape of a victim who was under the age of 12, Murphy reported.
In that incident last December, Alex met the victim online, convinced her to meet him in person and had sexual intercourse with her, according to Murphy. The victim reported the incident, and as police investigated, she identified Alex as the man who had raped her, Murphy reported.
Additionally, Alex was served with probable cause from another investigation into a report of months-long physical, emotional and mental abuse of another victim.
In that incident, officers responded April 22 to St. Joseph hospital in Bellingham for the report of a domestic assault, including three recent events in which he used a phone charging cord and a snowboard as a weapon, Murphy reported.
The victim told police that on April 19, Alex became upset that the victim was not, in his opinion, properly bagging groceries at a store and hit her across the bridge of the nose with a charging cord, Murphy reported.
That was a day after the victim said she returned home from work and Alex had started an argument and assaulted her with the phone cord, leaving marks and bruises on the victim’s arm, according to Murphy.
On April 21, Alex reportedly assaulted the victim with a snowboard for not being able to keep up with him, causing the victim discomfort in her hip, Murphy reported.
Resources
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or sexual assault, you can contact the following local resources for free, confidential support:
▪ Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services: 24-hour Help Line: 360-715-1563, Email: info@dvsas.org.
▪ Lummi Victims of Crime: 360-312-2015.
▪ Tl’ils Ta’á’altha Victims of Crime: 360-325-3310 or nooksacktribe.org/departments/youth-family-services/tlils-taaaltha-victims-of-crime-program/
▪ Bellingham Police: You can call anonymously at 360-778-8611, or go online at cob.org/tips.
▪ WWU Consultation and Sexual Assault Support Survivor Advocacy Services: 360-650-3700 or wp.wwu.edu/sexualviolence/.
▪ Brigid Collins Family Support Center: 360-734-4616, brigidcollins.org.
