Man pleads guilty to sexual assault

POLSON — A 35-year old Arlee man pleaded guilty to charges of sexual assault in Lake County District Court last Thursday. According to court documents, Johnny Charlo assaulted a 12-year-old girl while he was heavily intoxicated.

On July 24, according to the court affidavit, Flathead Tribal Police received reports from a mother saying that Charlo had assaulted her 12-year-old daughter. Authorities were able to identify the him partly from the type of boxer underwear Charlo was allegedly wearing at the time of the crime.

Police reports said that the victim and two younger kids were sleeping in their residence on two short mattresses pushed together on the living room floor. At around 5 a.m., the victim was awoken by her cat and she noticed that Charlo was lying next to her.

According to the court document, she said she was afraid because Charlo had touched her before.

Charlo put his hand inside of the victim’s leg and touched her vagina, the affidavit read. The victim ran up stairs and told her sister and another female what happened. They went downstairs and the victim’s sister hit Charlo in the face and told him to get out.

When he stood up, the two noticed he was wearing blue and red boxers with Budweiser on them. They also noted that he appeared to be drunk.

When officers talked with Charlo he said that he didn’t remember anything about the incident because he had been drinking at the bar and had approximately 10 “mixed doubles.” He did not recall sleeping at the victim’s residence, but he did recall waking up at his brother’s residence.

Charlo said he did not remember how he got from the bar to the victim’s residence but remembered leaving his car at the residence before going to his brothers. When the Lake County Sheriff’s deputies searched Charlo’s place, they located a pair of blue boxer shorts with Bud Light written on them.

Sentencing for Charlo is set for Thursday, April 19 at 9 a.m.