Bail is set at $250,000 for a 19-year-old Randle man accused of raping a girl under the age of 18 in August.
Jonathan Jace Linder was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail at 12:35 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 11, after the victim reported the sexual assault to the Centralia Police Department the day prior, according to jail records and charging documents filed in Lewis County Superior Court.
“The state recognizes the defendant's lack of criminal history and his young age. However, these are serious allegations, and violent,” Deputy Prosecutor Brandi Archer said during Linder’s preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court on Thursday.
“I agree with the state. These are alarming allegations,” Judge Joely Yeager said Thursday, granting the prosecution’s request for $250,000 bail.
While a lack of criminal history is typically a reason for judges to set a lower bail amount, Yeager said she doesn’t give it much weight in sexual assault cases.
“In my experience, these types of allegations usually are with defendants who have no prior criminal history,” Yeager said Thursday.
The victim reported that she and Linder had their first date on Aug. 21 after speaking to each other for two days. After leaving the restaurant at the end of the date, Linder allegedly tried to put his hands up the victim’s dress, despite the victim trying to stop him “as she was not ready for that,” according to court documents. She reported that Linder “continued to push his hands between her legs and she gave up trying to stop him.”
Linder allegedly repeated the action later that evening, and the victim said “she allowed this so they didn’t argue,” according to court documents. Linder then allegedly physically forced the victim to participate in a sexual act, despite the victim telling him she did not want to.
Linder is also accused of raping and strangling the victim in his car the next day, Aug. 22. He had allegedly offered her a ride and began kissing inside Linder’s vehicle, with the victim stating “she didn’t want it to go further” and “she did not want to have sex,” according to court documents.
He allegedly slapped her in the face and called her derogatory names during the rape, according to court documents.
Linder then reportedly brought the victim home and followed her into her house. The victim’s family later confirmed Linder stayed for about 15 minutes before leaving. The victim reported that she left something in Linder’s vehicle and went to retrieve it before Linder left the residence, at which point Linder allegedly sexually assaulted her again.
The victim reported she “immediately indicated that she was not okay with that,” but Linder allegedly continued “to have non-consensual sex with her in the driveway,” according to court documents.
After reporting the sexual assault on Sept. 10, the victim reportedly gave a Centralia police officer permission to attempt to contact Linder via the victim’s Instagram profile.
During the conversation with the officer posing as the victim, Linder allegedly “indicated he enjoyed the sex on the 22nd, apologized when it was said he didn’t stop when asked, and agreed he would listen next time,” according to court documents.
When questioned at his workplace on Sept. 11, Linder allegedly “stated everything was consensual,” but “confirmed she had asked him to stop and didn’t like certain things he did.” Officers noted Linder “was shaking, extremely flush and was sweating when speaking with (the lead officer),” according to court documents.
Linder was charged Sept. 12 in Lewis County Superior Court with one count each of indecent liberties, second-degree assault, and second- and third-degree rape.
Two of the charges, indecent liberties and second-degree rape, are class A felonies carrying maximum penalties of life in prison.
A hearing to review Linder’s attorneys status is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 19.
A no-contact order protecting the victim is in place.
