Rape suspect pleads guilty

SANDPOINT - A Sandpoint man pleaded guilty to an amended rape charge on Tuesday.

Jesse Diego Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced in 1st District Court in February.

Thomas, 18, was charged with forcible rape in connection with an alleged sexual attack at his home on Oct. 23. Charging papers said the 14-year-old victim attempted to resist the sexual advances, but Thomas pinned her down.

In exchange for his plea, Thomas' alleged use-of-force language was dropped from the criminal complaint and the charge was amended to statutory rape, court records show.

Rape in Idaho carries a punishment of one year to life in prison. Proposed sentence recommendations in Thomas' case include a sentence of three to 10 years with retained jurisdiction, which makes a defendant eligible for release onto probation after serving six months in prison.