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By RAELYNN RICARTE
News staff writer
October 19, 2007
For the second time in as many months, a Hood
River man has been charged with rape.
Forge Dennis Mileham Jr., 36, was accused of
a new sexual assault via a video conference from jail on
Thursday. The two women whom he had allegedly victimized sat
together in Circuit Court to watch the proceedings.
According to reports, the second woman to
report an attack was hospitalized in September due to the
severity of her injuries.
Mileham put his head in his hands after Judge
Crowley extolled the seven new charges against him. In total, he
faces penalties for 13 crimes, most of which are felony
offenses, involving these cases:
• Alleged
attack of an Odell woman in August: first-degree Sexual Abuse
(two counts), first-degree Rape (two counts) and Attempted
Strangulation.
• Reported
September assault of a woman from The Dalles: first-degree Rape,
second-degree Assault, Strangulation, Attempted Sodomy,
first-degree Sodomy, Unlawful Sexual Penetration (two counts)
and Attempted Murder.
At the Oct. 18 hearing, Crowley granted
Deputy Prosecutor Carrie Rasmussen’s request to increase the
amount of bail for Mileham to gain release from jail. He will
now have to pay double the $50,000 originally imposed when he
was lodged in the Northern Oregon Regional Correctional
Facilities of The Dalles.
“Based on the fact that the charges have not
simply increased but the magnitude has increased dramatically, I
am going to substantially increase bail to $100,000,” said
Crowley.
After the video screen linking NORCOR to the
Hood River court went blank, the two plaintiffs, who were not
previously acquainted, gave each other a parting hug.
Mileham will make his next court appearance
to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty at 11 a.m. on Thursday,
Nov. 15.
Detective Gerry Tiffany confirmed after the Oct. 18 hearing
that the investigation against Mileham is ongoing. He believes
there could be other victims and asks anyone with information of
an assault to call his office at 387-6846. |
