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Ex-Baseball Player Receives Deferred Sentence
for Lesser Charge After Rape Allegation Former Glacier Outlaws player pleaded guilty to criminal endangerment in June
BY JUSTIN FRANZ OF THE BEACON
The baseball player accused of raping a woman in White sh last year was given a six-year deferred sentenced on Aug. 11 in Flathead County District Court.
Eric Cordova appeared before Judge Robert Allison two months after he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of felony criminal endangerment.
Cordova, 28, had initially been charged with felony sexual intercourse without consent following a May 2015 incident in White sh. Days before he was expected to go to trial earlier this year, prosecutors and the defense nalized a plea agree- ment with the lesser charge of criminal endangerment.
During the Aug. 11 hearing, Pub- lic Defender Brent Getty said his client admitted that he had drank too much on the night of May 24, 2015 and that he had gotten into bed with the victim without her permission. The details of what hap- pened after that are vague, Getty said.
“After those acts, the case is murky for both sides as to whether there is evidence of a sexual assault and that’s where this plea agreement comes from,” Getty said.
Deputy County Attorney Alison How- ard told the court that the victim in the case agreed with the six-year deferred sentence.
Cordova came to White sh last year to play baseball for the now-defunct Glacier Outlaws, an upstart team in the Mount Rainier Professional Baseball League.
According to court records, Cor- dova was at a bar in downtown White- sh with a friend on the night of May 24 when they met two women. After the bars closed, one of the women invited Cordo- va’s friend back to her home and all four
BRIEFS
Authorities Searching for Art Stolen From Wild Horse Island Home
The Lake County Sheri ’s O ce is asking the public to help solve a string of burglaries that happened earlier this spring on Wild Horse Island.
According to Sheri Don Bell, at least ve cabins on the island in Flathead Lake were broken into over the spring. Three pieces of art were stolen from one of the homes and now the owner is o ering a $1,000 reward to anyone who has infor- mation that would lead to the recovery of the pieces.
The sheri ’s o ce says the case has gone cold and there are no suspects at
Eric Cordova appears in Flathead County District Court. BEACON FILE PHOTO
“AFTER THOSE ACTS, THE CASE IS MURKY FOR BOTH SIDES AS TO WHETHER THERE IS EVIDENCE OF A SEXUAL ASSAULT AND THAT’S WHERE THIS PLEA AGREEMENT COMES FROM.”
- BRENT GETTY
people left the bar. At the home, the sec- ond woman went into her room, shut the door and went to sleep. Court records state that she made it clear she was not interested in Cordova that night.
Later the woman woke up and found that Cordova had gotten into bed with her, according to court documents and testimony. The woman slapped Cordova and began to scream that she was being raped. The two other people were just outside the home and told police o cers
this time.
Anyone with information about these
burglaries or about these pieces of art are encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers at (406) 883-7309 or Lake County Sheri ’s O ce at (406) 883-7301. Anyone who o ers information to Lake County Sher- i ’s O ce will be kept anonymous.
Mineral County Sheri ’s O ce Ends Strike with Agreement
Mineral County sheri ’s employ- ees who went on strike for 10 days this summer after working for more than a year without a contract have rati ed an agreement.
they heard her scream.
The woman called 911. When Flathead
County sheri ’s deputies arrived at the
home, Cordova was present, as well the
woman and the two others. The woman
Ask for
was taken to the hospital where a foren-
sic exam was administered. Cordova was taken to the Flathead County Detention Center where he allegedly acknowledged that he had gotten into bed with the woman after she went to sleep.
jfranz@ atheadbeacon.com
The Missoulian reports that 16 employees went on strike between May 30 and June 9 over salary, overtime and other issues stemming from the end of their contract on July 1, 2015.
Sheri Tom Bauer had to scramble to cover the gaps in the 24/7 o ce until reg- ular employees returned to work when a state mediator joined negotiations in June.
Both parties agreed to raises, which were made retroactive from July 1, 2015, and new contract language. The two-year contract is set to expire in June 2017. Negotiations will resume next spring.
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AUGUST 17, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
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