IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – An Idaho man is accused of sexual assault for the second time in four months, authorities said.
Tayden Matthew Towers, 19, of Idaho Falls, was arrested on Aug. 11 and charged with felony rape, East Idaho News reported.
Towers had been charged in April with felony sexual abuse of a vulnerable adult at an assisted living center in March 2022, according to the Post Register.
According to Bonneville County court documents, an Idaho Falls Police detective was assigned in May to follow up on a case in which a victim accused Towers of raping her.
The victim told the officer that between August and November 2021, she went to stay with Towers at an Idaho Falls home because she “was very sick with COVID and her household was chaotic,” East Idaho News reported.
According to a criminal complaint, the victim said that she woke up one night to find Towers touching her and “making advances” toward her, the newspaper reported.
The victim said that Towers “didn’t stop even when she was crying and shaking.” Towers then reportedly held the woman down and allegedly said, “Are you going to stop crying? Are you gonna shut up? Are you gonna listen to me?”
The next day, the victim exchanged text messages with Towers about the incident, East Idaho News reported.
When the victim told Towers she was “really scared” after the incident, Towers allegedly said, “Oh yea I’m sorry. That was unacceptable and it won’t happen again.”
In the other case, Towers was working for Habilitation Advocacy Supports Inc. in April 2022 when police began investigating allegations of rape, the Post Register reported.
The victim, who was 18 at the time of the alleged assault, functioned at the level of a 7-year-old, according to an assessment cited in the affidavit.
HAS Inc., which has locations in Idaho Falls, Rexburg, Pocatello, Twin Falls and Boise, has not commented on the allegations, the newspaper reported.
Towers is expected to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 1 for the latest charge, East Idaho News reported. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison.
Towers remains in the Bonneville County Jail, according to online records.
