Nez Perce Tribal Police say 34-year-old Sigmund Patterson was given a temporary place to stay at a church parsonage in Lapwai on the 25th. That evening, a release from the Police Office says he was contacted by law enforcement after a theft at Valley Foods. The next morning, Tribal Police responded to a report of a woman in distress, screaming for help. The victim reported that Patterson forced his way into her home, broke into her locked bedroom, and sexually assaulted her. She was taken to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center for care.
The release goes on to say Tribal Police found Patterson at about 5:00am on the 26th fighting with another man in the road on Highway 12. They arrested Patterson, coordinated with the FBI, and turned him over to the Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office after determining proper jurisdiction.
Patterson is charged with rape, burglary, intentional destruction of a telecommunitcation line or telecommunication instrument, and malicious injury to property. His bond was set at $500,000. Friday morning when we called to check, Patterson had not posted bond and was still in the Nez Perce County Jail.
