A former Idaho Representative has just been sentenced to 20 years in prison after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a young intern in 2021.
Aaron von Ehlinger, 40, was convicted of felony rape in April and on Wednesday was sentenced to two decades behind bars - however, he was acquitted on a charge of penetration using a foreign object. Ehlinger will allegedly be eligible for parole in eight years.
The sentencing comes after the former lawmaker had raped a 19-year-old statehouse intern, who said that the assault occurred at his apartment after they had been out for dinner together, per People.
After just 10 months on the job, Ehlinger was then forced to resign. "After careful deliberation and prayer I have determined that I will not be able to effectively represent my constituents and ... have decided to resign my seat effective immediately," Ehlinger stated in his resignation letter, Associated Press revealed.
The intern, who remained anonymous and was referred to as Jane Doe, originally stated that she had tried to rebuff Ehlinger's advances "multiple, multiple times," according to KTVB.
Per the TV station, Jane Doe revealed that Ehlinger drove her back to his apartment after dinner - after telling her he would only drive her back to her vehicle - picked her up, and carried her to his bedroom where she was forced to perform oral sex on him.
Ehlinger maintained that the sex was consensual, and that there were no rules against dating colleagues.
In response to this statement a fellow state Representative, Wendy Horman, stated: "There is no House rule against poisoning another person, yet his behavior has poisoned all of us. Conduct unbecoming is an undefined term for a reason per our rules," per Associated Press. A further colleague called Ehlinger out on his "predatory pattern" of behavior.
At the time the allegations came to light Republican lawmaker, Priscilla Giddings, shared the intern's name online, alongside many conservative blogs.
Per Associated Press, Ehlinger was also ordered by Judge Michael Reardon to register as a sex offender, and will additionally be placed under a no-contact order until 2055.
During the legal proceedings in the Ada County District Court, Judge Reardon tells Ehlinger: "You have a pattern of explaining, excusing, deflecting and blaming others for the circumstances you find yourself in.
"You see yourself as a victim and you see yourself as a hero, and frankly I don't see you as either one of those things," he added.
KTVB reported that the US Army veteran will receive credit for 139 days served, and must pay $2,015 in restitution.
In her victim impact statement, Ehlinger's young accuser stated: "I am here now. I am here scared, I am here frightened, I am so petrified, but I will not be intimidated into silence so that another rapist can slip through the cracks of this justice system," ABC News detailed.
She added: "I hope he rots in pieces behind those cold metal bars."
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