Incest defendant arrested on new sex charges

A man who was already wanted for allegedly sexually assaulting a 13-year-old relative who was living with him was arrested Thursday by officers who were investigating new sexual abuse complaints against him.

Leonard E. Doney, born in 1941, was arrested on charges of solicitation of minor-sexual assault and sexual abuse of children. The arresting officer found Doney at a Fifth Avenue Havre residence Thursday around 3 p.m. and said this morning that the new investigation involves a relative as well.

Felony sexual assault and felony incest charges had been filed against Doney in October. He had failed to show up to his arraignment Nov. 18 for those charges.

In the October charges, documents say Havre City police dispatch received a call May 10 from a woman who said Doney was inappropriately touching a 13-year-old relative of his.

The woman said the 13-year-old woke up one night and found Doney touching her underneath the covers.

The 13-year-old also told the woman about an instance where she was lying down — “(Doney) must have thought she was sleeping” — and he whispered “I’m going to take your virginity.” The woman said there were multiple other instances where Doney reached under the 13-year-old’s shirt and touched her, documents say.

A Havre police officer interviewed the girl July 14.

Documents say the girl told the officer that Doney had begun touching her around November 2015. She said Doney came into her room when she was sleeping and awoke to find him touching her. The girl said other times Doney touched her below the waist. The girl said that most of the times Doney touched her above her clothes, documents say.

The girl told officers she was moved out of Doney’s house after she heard him whisper about taking her virginity, which she thought he may have said April 29.

The girl talked about another time when Doney was touching her above her clothing on her crotch area, documents say. She said he was pressing hard on her and making grunting noises.

Doney is being held on $50,000 bond.