Former Oak Harbor man faces prison for raping girl

By JESSIE STENSLAND
Whidbey News Times Assistant editor
July 31, 2012 · Updated 2:47 PM 

A 21-year-old former Oak Harbor man is facing a lengthy prison sentence for raping a teenager at her North Whidbey home.

James Hoholik pleaded guilty in Island County Superior Court July 23 to the rape of a child in the second degree. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 10.

Hoholik sexually assaulted the girl, who was 13 years old at the time, at a home on North Whidbey from late 2009 to early 2010, according to a report by Detective Laura Price with the Island County Sheriff’s Office.

The mother of the victim found out about the assault and reported it to police earlier this year. The woman explained that Hoholik and his girlfriend lived in a travel trailer on the family’s property.

The girl reported that Hoholik had sex with her multiple times, even after she repeatedly told him no.

The girl’s mother eventually kicked Hoholik and his girlfriend off the property because they didn’t help around the house, as they had promised. The mother claimed Hoholik and his girlfriend often fought because he had sex with a 13-year-old girl in Nevada.

Under the terms of the plea bargain, the prosecution and defense will recommend an indeterminate sentence of up to life in prison with a minimum of seven years and a month. That means he would have to serve the minimum sentence and then a review board would decide whether to release him.

 

Contact Whidbey News Times Assistant editor Jessie Stensland at jstensland@whidbeynewsgroup.com or 360.675.6611 ext. 5056.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.

So keep your comments:

  • Civil
  • Smart
  • On-topic
  • Free of profanity

We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters. We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please refer to our Terms of Use for full detail on participating on our site.