An active duty service member stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord is facing charges in Lewis County Superior Court for allegedly raping an intoxicated woman in Centralia in October.
The rape was reported on Oct. 19 while the victim was at Hope Alliance of Lewis County’s office in Centralia. A Centralia officer met the victim at the Hope Alliance office that same day.
According to the victim, she and the suspect, identified as Angelo Xavier Stephens, 20, were drinking alcohol together in Centralia on Oct. 14. Over the course of the evening, “she became visibly intoxicated” while Stephens “only had a little to drink,” she told investigators.
Both the victim and a witness reportedly confirmed the victim “made it clear to Stephens that she did not want to have sexual relations with him that night … even making him promise he would not try anything,” according to court documents.
The victim then reportedly fell asleep and later woke up to find “she was not wearing any underwear.” She said she confronted Stephens, who allegedly “told her that they had sex,” according to court documents.
A Centralia detective has reportedly confirmed the existence of a text exchange between the victim and Stephens “in which Stephens admits to the intercourse and apologizes and takes full responsibility for having sex with her when she was intoxicated and had told him she did not want to,” according to court documents.
Records indicate Stephens was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail at approximately 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 1. He was charged Thursday, Nov. 2, with one count each of second-degree rape and third-degree rape.
When asked by Judge Joely Yeager during his preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court on Thursday, Stephens said his command was aware of the rape allegations but he did not know whether his command has pursued any disciplinary action against him. He has reportedly been in the U.S. military for a year and a half, according to his defense attorney.
Due to his lack of criminal history and his financial status, Yeager granted the defense’s request to set bail at $50,000. The state had asked for bail to be set at $200,000.
A no-contact order protecting the victim is in place.
Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 9.
