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Alex Cabrero ReportingA new law in Idaho is allowing a rape case to go forward, even though it's been nearly 40 years since the victim says it happened.
Warren Wilde is known as a sheriff's deputy, a civil defense director, and a former school teacher in Preston, Idaho. Now someone is also calling him a rapist.
Don Beckstead, Sheriff, Franklin Co.: "He's struggling. A lot of pressure on him and his wife and the family."
Franklin County sheriff Don Beckstead has known Wilde seemingly forever. He was shocked when Wilde was arrested.
Don Beckstead: "We're concerned about him and his well being, so we're talking to him and watching out for him."
Now 70 years old, Wilde is charged with raping a 17-year old girl in 1967, when he was 32. He was a teacher at Preston High School at the time and the alleged victim was one of his students.
Vic Pearson, Special Prosecutor: "This is a tough situation where we're talking about a case that is 39 years old."
Vic Pearson, from neighboring Bannock County, was appointed special prosecutor because the Franklin prosecutor has a conflict of interest with Wilde.
Vic Pearson, Special Prosecutor: "We're gonna have to deal with issues that are different and unique with a case like this, but we'll handle them just like any other case."
Idaho used to have a statute of limitations for rape cases, but just this past July, legislators passed a new law, saying now, with rape cases, how long ago it happened doesn't matter.
Vic Pearson, Special Prosecutor: "We relied on statements the defendant made to be able to charge him and pursue a case that's this old."
When the alleged victim recently went to police, they decided to record her calling Wilde, hoping he would admit to something. In court documents, a transcript of that conversation shows where Wilde said he was very, very sorry. He talks about them drinking alcohol before the first encounter and says he remembers other occasions they had sex.
He also remembers picking her up after she got off work at a Preston bowling alley and driving her home.
Because of the recorded conversation, Pearson feels it's enough to go forward with the case.
Vic Pearson, Special Prosecutor: "If we were talking about a situation where Warren said he didn't do anything, and it was 39 years ago, we probably wouldn't have filed a case."
Preliminary hearings are set for the first week in January.
Sheriff Beackstead says Wide does not have a criminal record, and has been an excellent employee. The victim now lives in Utah and says she came forward because she's been living with guilt her whole life.
