Bellingham man pleads guilty to raping woman while she slept
A 29-year-old Bellingham man has pleaded guilty to raping a woman he knew while she slept.
Juan Valentino Muric-Felix pleaded guilty Jan. 16 in Whatcom County Superior Court to one count of third-degree rape. He was previously charged with one count of second-degree rape, but his charge was amended down as part of a plea deal, according to court records.
Muric-Felix’s sentencing hearing has tentatively been scheduled for March 5.
The prosecuting attorney is expected to recommend that Muric-Felix be given an exceptional sentence above the standard range for his crimes.
Based on Muric-Felix’s crime and past criminal history, his standard sentencing range is between six and 12 months in jail, with a year of probation, according to court records.
The exceptional sentence recommendation the prosecutor is expected to make is for Muric-Felix to serve two years in prison, with three years probation. He will also have to register as a sex offender, a post-conviction sexual assault protection order will be put in place between him and the woman, and he will be required to comply with any crime-related restrictions and treatment recommended by DOC in the pre-sentence investigation report, court documents state.
The court will also determine whether Muric-Felix is eligible to receive a special sex offender sentencing alternative, which would allow him to participate in specialized treatment in lieu of prison time.
The crime
Shortly after 5:30 a.m. on July 2, 2022, a woman called 911 and reported that she woke up to Muric-Felix raping her.
The woman, who said she was “in shock and experiencing a wide variety of emotions,” told Bellingham Police Department officers that she was visiting from out of town and was staying with friends who live in Bellingham.
The woman told police that she, some friends and Muric-Felix, who was known to the woman, went out for drinks in downtown Bellingham that night.
The woman told police that they all returned in the early morning hours to an apartment in the 2800 block of West Maplewood Avenue, where they all started watching a movie in the living room.
The woman said she fell asleep on a couch sometime after 3 a.m., and that when she woke up, she felt like “she was having some sort of ‘sexual dream.’,” the court records state.
When the woman fully awoke, she realized Muric-Felix was sexually assaulting her.
The woman called her friend shortly before 5:15 a.m., and told her what happened. The friend told police that they had overheard Muric-Felix asking “to talk about it” with the woman while the friend and the woman were on the phone.
The woman told police that at no point in time did she ever have any romantic or sexual relationship with Muric-Felix and said she never gave Muric-Felix consent to touch her or engage in any sexual acts with her, court documents show.
After speaking with the woman, officers found Muric-Felix outside of the apartment, sleeping in the back of his vehicle in the parking lot.
He refused to speak with police about the incident, according to court records.
Resources
▪ Brigid Collins Family Support Center: 360-734-4616, brigidcollins.org
Brigid Collins Family Support Center professionals are on-call between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, to answer questions about children, families, abuse prevention or treatment at (360) 734-4616.
▪ Child Protective Services: Washington state hotline for reporting child abuse and neglect, 866-829-2153.
▪ 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/.
If you or a child is in immediate danger, call 911 and make a report to law enforcement.
To report child abuse or neglect call 1-866-END HARM.
This story was originally published January 21, 2024 at 11:00 AM.
