Leavenworth man accused in 2019 of attempting to rape woman pleads no contest

A Leavenworth man charged in a 2019 attempted rape has entered a plea, court records show.

Thomas Henkle, 43, pleaded no contest to the charge, according to a news release Saturday from Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson.

At about 11 p.m. on Aug. 16, 2019, a woman living near Leavenworth Interfaith Community of Hope called police, telling them she heard loud noises and a woman shouting “stop” and “quit, you’re hurting me,” according to the release.

The screams were coming from an empty lot near the caller’s home, court records show.

Officers who arrived at the scene found a young woman “unconscious with her pants and underwear off and Thomas Henkle lying in the grass near her,” according to the release.

Police eventually revived the woman, who told them she didn’t know how she arrived at the location or what happened, according to the county attorney. She was taken to the hospital.

Henkle was arrested after first telling police to leave, and then later telling them “they were having sex,” according to the release.

“In these cases our primary care is for the victim and their wishes. They have already went through the most horrific event in their life to then get scrutinized about it. We need to do what is in their best interest and best interest of our community.” Thompson said in a statement. “We do need to empathize that these crimes are never the person’s fault and think how they may be responsible. It’s that perpetrator, and only the perpetrator that is responsible.”

Henkle’s sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 12.