Alaskan man arrested for allegedly raping Bellingham woman in 2019, police say
An Alaskan man accused of raping a woman in 2019 in Whatcom County while she slept was arrested earlier this week in King County, Washington.
Shawaan Jackson-Gamble, 25, was charged Sept. 30, 2022, in Whatcom County Superior Court with one count of second-degree rape and one count of second-degree burglary. Jackson-Gamble’s rape charge alleges that the woman was incapable of consent because she was either physically helpless or mentally incapacitated at the time, according to court records.
The alleged rape occurred in late October 2019, court documents show.
A warrant was issued for Jackson-Gamble’s arrest on Oct. 3, 2022 — almost three years after the incident was first reported.
Jackson-Gamble was arrested Wednesday, Aug. 9. by Port of Seattle Police and transported to the Whatcom County Jail.
His bail was set at $60,000 at his first appearance in court Thursday, Aug. 10. He was released from jail the same day on $6,000 cash bond, according to jail and court records.
Jackson-Gamble’s arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 18. He will be allowed to reside in Alaska while his case is pending, court records show.
A no-contact order was put in place between him and the female victim.
“Mr. Jackson-Gamble will be entering a plea of not guilty at the next hearing and his case will be set for a jury trial. We ask the community refrain from passing judgment until he is able to give his side. Please keep in mind there is a presumption of innocence unless a charge is proven beyond a reasonable doubt,” said Emily Beschen, Jackson-Gamble’s defense attorney, in a statement to the Bellingham Herald.
The assault
According to Bellingham Police Lt. Claudia Murphy, officers were called to the PeaceHealth St. Joseph emergency room on Oct. 25, 2019, at about 5:22 a.m. for a report of a sexual assault. A woman told police that Jackson-Gamble allegedly sexually assaulted her earlier in the night.
Court documents state that Jackson-Gamble, the woman and their female friend were playing board games and drinking that night until 2 a.m. in an apartment belonging to the female friend. The woman told police she went to sleep fully clothed alone and said she locked the bedroom door. Jackson-Gamble said he would call an Uber and also left the female friend’s apartment. The friend then locked the door to the apartment after Jackson-Gamble had left, according to court records.
When the woman woke up around 4 a.m., she was naked and said Jackson-Gamble was lying next to her. He allegedly said, “I’m sorry, I thought it was mutual” to the woman when she woke up, the court records show.
The woman told police she did not remember the alleged assault occurring and said she never gave her consent.
Jackson-Gamble then left the woman’s bedroom and went downstairs and slept on the couch. Keys to the apartment were later found on the sofa where Jackson-Gamble was sleeping after he left the woman’s room, court documents state.
The victim immediately went to her friend to tell her what happened and they went to the hospital for treatment.
According to court records, a hospital rape kit found the presence of DNA from two men. The woman told the nurse one of the DNA profiles was likely from her romantic partner at the time.
A detective who was assigned to the case gathered evidence and statements. Murphy said that based on the totality of the case, the detective forwarded the file to the prosecutor’s office to request a warrant for Jackson-Gamble’s arrest as he was out of the state.
The warrant was issued three years later, on October 3, 2022.
Resources available
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or sexual assault, you can contact the following local resources for free, confidential support:
Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services: 24-hour Help Line: 360-715-1563, Email: info@dvsas.org.
Lummi Victims of Crime: 360-312-2015.
Tl’ils Ta’á’altha Victims of Crime: 360-325-3310 or nooksacktribe.org/departments/youth-family-services/tlils-taaaltha-victims-of-crime-program/
Bellingham Police: You can call anonymously at 360-778-8611, or go online at cob.org/tips.
WWU Survivor Advocacy Services at the Counseling & Wellness Center: 360-650-7982 or https://cwc.wwu.edu/survivorservices.
Brigid Collins Family Support Center: 360-734-4616, brigidcollins.org.
