Rocky Boy man cleared of rape charge

A jury found a Rocky Boy man not guilty of rape Wednesday in moments after a one-day trial in federal court in Great Falls.

The jury found William T. Ahenakew Jr. not guilty of a charge of sexual abuse at 8:28 a.m., court records say. U.S. District Judge Brian Morris excused the jury at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday with the directions to return to start deliberations at 8:30 Wednesday morning.

When the court came back into session at 8:45 a.m. Wednesday, Morris was informed the jury had come to verdict, the document says.

The accusations were that after drinking March 17, 2013, with her cousin, the woman who accused Ahenakew of rape and her cousin stopped at a friend’s house where Ahenakew was present.

The woman and her cousin told investigators that she passed out on the couch, and while she was passed out Ahenakew had sex with her. The cousin said he wanted to stop Ahenakew but was afraid of him.

Another witness told the investigators that her cousin told him the sex was consensual.