MISSOULA — A felony rape charge has been filed against Zabihullah Mohmand by the Missoula County Attorney’s Office.
An affidavit of probable cause charges Mohmand with one count of sexual intercourse without consent.
The alleged rape happened on Sunday, October 17. The victim, identified as "Jane Doe" in court documents, is 18 years old.
Doe and Mohmand allegedly met at the Badlander bar and later went to Mohmand’s hotel room.
It was there that the alleged rape took place. Doe called 911 at 4:30 a.m. and reported that she had just been raped.
According to court documents, Mohmand said that he was on a worldwide trip and was visiting Missoula. At this time, MTN News has not confirmed any link between Mohmand and the Afghan resettlement program.
However, Governor Greg Gianforte said in response to a question during a Thursday afternoon news conference that "the alleged perpetrator was relocated here from Afghanistan in the beginning of October."
According to a news release from the office of U.S. Senator Steve Daines, Mohmand was admitted to the U.S. and placed in Montana under a humanitarian program used to bring someone with a compelling emergency to temporarily stay in the U.S.
This is distinct from a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV), which is a government program for persons who worked with the U.S. armed forces as a translator or interpreter in Iraq or Afghanistan. Up to 50 people per year are granted SIV visas.
MTN News has placed calls to the Missoula County Attorney’s Office to talk with Deputy County Attorney Meghann Paddock, who filed the charge. The International Rescue Committee, the resettlement agency for Afghan refugees, has also been contacted. We have not yet received a response from either, and will update you if and when we do.
