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Kalispell Man Sentenced to Prison For Rape

Hank Coughran Jones was sentenced in Flathead County District Court on May 17

By Justin Franz

A 41-year-old Kalispell man was given a 20-year sentence with 10 years suspended to the Montana State Prison for raping a 15-year-old girl on multiple occasions in 2016.

Hank Coughran Jones was sentenced in Flathead County District Court on May 17. He was designated a level one sex offender. Jones was also given 144 days credit for time previously served in the county jail.

According to court records, the victim’s father contacted law enforcement after discovering that his daughter had a new phone. The father inspected the phone and found that multiple obscene photos had been shared between Jones and the girl. The girl said Jones had given her the phone after her parents had taken her phone away.

During a forensic interview, the girl told law enforcement that she and Jones had engaged in intercourse on multiple occasions.

Jones was initially charged with felony sexual intercourse without consent and sexual abuse of children. Jones pleaded guilty by way of Alford to the first charge and, per the plea deal, the second charge was dropped.