The following story contains graphic details about sexual assault.
Connor William Daniels, 24, formerly of Friday Harbor, was charged with two counts of rape of a child in the third degree and one count of indecent liberties — physically incapacitated in San Juan County Superior Court.
Daniels’ arraignment was held on June 28, 2021. He failed to appear and a bench warrant for $10,000 was issued for his arrest. A police officer in California arrested him in December 2021. In February 2022, public defender Alex Frix entered an appearance on behalf of the defendant, who appeared remotely, and entered a not guilty plea. Daniels was released on $25,000 bail. An omnibus hearing has been scheduled for June 27 to set a trial date.
The allegations
In December 2020, a teen reported to the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office that Daniels sexually assaulted her two years earlier. Daniels, who was 20 at the time, allegedly began having sex with the victim after he moved into her family’s home.
According to the probable cause statement, the victim said the first incident occurred in the fall of 2018 when Daniels asked the victim to have sex and she agreed. They had sex again on the couch a few weeks later, an encounter that was witnessed by a friend of the victim. She reported other incidents, including oral sex and waking up to Daniels molesting her. All of the encounters allegedly happened in the victim’s family home.
The victim provided the sheriff’s office with screenshots of Snapchat messenger conversations between her and Daniels wherein she confronts him over the first alleged sexual encounter in which he ”took (her) virginity.” Daniels responded by apologizing and saying that he “hated himself for doing those things” though he claims he was “half-asleep” during the incident.
The victim also provided photos and videos sent to her by Daniels that depicted his nude body and genitals accompanied by lewd captions. In two videos, Daniels refers to the victim by name and says that he loves her.
In April 2021, Detective Lukas Peter interviewed Daniels through Zoom, as he now resides in California. Daniels consented to a recorded interview. He initially denied having any kind of sexual relationship with the victim. He later admitted to rubbing himself against the victim while she slept but thought she was awake. Wrote Peter: “Daniels claimed he did not recall the specific incidents of sexual intercourse or oral sex, stating that he was using a lot of drugs and alcohol during that period in his life, but said it was plausible that he did have sex with her and perform oral sex on her.”
Daniels’ criminal history includes four counts of burglary in the second degree and hit and run in San Juan County.
