Teen rapist sentenced to 10 years

POLSON – District Court Judge James A. Manley convicted teenage rapist, Terrance Gardipe, 18 to 10 years in the Department of Corrections.

Jurors found Gardipe guilty June 18 of six counts of intercourse without consent with a minor female and dismissed one count of sexual assault.

Gardipe, of Lake County, began interacting with his victim, who is a minor, in 2009 and had six encounters through 2011, court records show.

The victim sought law enforcement protection and endured a forensic interview. with Mary Pat Hansen of Missoula in 2013.

Gardipe was arrested in April 2014 on a $30,000 bond, pled not guilty and was released to his mother and ordered to stay at home with a GPS locator anklet.

In May 2014 Gardipe’s mother claimed financial burdens and asked the court to remove the GPS locator. Gardipe’s GPS locator went dead a few days later.

An arrest warrant was issued and carried out.

Gardipe was found guilty June 18 after his jury trial and underwent a psychosexual evaluation.