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24-year-old man arrested for raping 15-year-old in Whatcom County – KIRO 7 News Seattle

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WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. – A 24-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the rape of a 15-year-old girl in Sudden Valley, according to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident was reported on May 21, when the girl informed a family member about the assault.

She said she met the suspect online, messaged him on Instagram and arranged a face-to-face meeting with him, where he offered to supply her with alcohol.

On the afternoon of May 6, the two met and began hiking in the forest.

The suspect, John Ephrim-Michael Rodgers, is said to have overpowered and raped the girl after she resisted his advances.

Investigators later recovered used condoms and packaging at the crime scene, which are now being tested for DNA by the Washington State Patrol crime lab.

On June 1, a friend of the victim reported that Rodgers had also contacted her with offensive comments and photos.

Detectives identified Rodgers, a former Whatcom County Jail inmate, as a suspect.

Data from Instagram confirmed the incident and that Rodgers knew the victim’s age.

Surveillance footage from a convenience store also showed that Rodgers was stealing alcohol on the day of the incident.

On July 1, Rodgers was found at a Bellingham homeless shelter, detained by Bellingham Police and arrested by WCSO detectives.

Rodgers was booked into the Whatcom County Jail on charges including rape, communicating with a minor for immoral purposes, furnishing alcohol to a minor and theft.

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