Kalispell man brought up on felony incest charge

A Kalispell man is being held in the county jail on a $100,000 bond for allegedly sexually abusing a teenage non-blood relative earlier this year.

Jeremy Michael Hoskin, 47, faces a single count of incest in Flathead County District Court. His arraignment on the felony charge is scheduled for Aug. 18.

Authorities learned of the alleged sexual abuse through a tip and forensically interviewed the victim, who told them Hoskins accosted her near Bigfork in April. According to court documents, Hoskins used the victim’s effort to earn her driver’s license to get her to a secluded park in the Bigfork area.

He allegedly texted her April 18 to see if she wanted to go for a drive the following day. The victim, needing driving hours with an adult, agreed, according to court documents.

On April 19, the two drove from Kalispell to the Bigfork area park and stopped. There, Hoskins allegedly groped the victim’s breasts and later lifted her shirt. According to court documents, he stopped when she pulled her shirt back down, though he allegedly suggested she remove her pants and, later, that they get a hotel room.

He also allegedly warned her against telling her mother about the assault. The victim told investigators with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office that Hoskins scared her, owing to past physical abuse, court documents said.

Later that evening, Hoskins texted the victim to tell her he had fun and asked about going out again, court documents said. The victim turned those texts over to authorities, according to an affidavit.

Prosecutors indicated in court documents that Hoskins previously faced a felony child molestation charge in Washington, though that case was vacated. He has misdemeanor animal cruelty convictions in his past, they wrote in an affidavit.

If convicted, Hoskins faces up to 100 years in Montana State Prison.