North Carolina Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Spousal Rape and Assault on Military Base

Defendant Filmed His Rape of Drugged Spouse, when She Discovered Videos He Strangled Her and Threatened Her with a Knife

          A North Carolina resident, who previously resided on Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) with his service member spouse has been sentenced to four years in prison and eight years of supervised release for his rape and brutal assault on his estranged wife, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.  The couple were in the midst of a divorce but residing in the same residence when JIMMY ANTHONY INDARTE, 28, raped and strangled the victim to unconsciousness.  When she regained consciousness, he chased her with a butcher knife.  Military police were able to intervene and rescue the victim.  At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle said “this is one of the most serious crimes that a person can commit.”

            According to records filed in the case, in August 2017, INDARTE and his spouse were in the midst of a divorce, in part, because she had discovered INDARTE had tortured and intentionally killed one or more of the couple’s four puppies they had adopted over the previous 12 months.  INDARTE had originally claimed the dogs died accidentally.  INDARTE’s spouse discovered videos on INDARTE’s phone showing him raping her while she was unconscious, apparently from medications.  When she confronted INDARTE about the videos, he choked her into unconsciousness.  When she came to, she was able to call 9-1-1.  Before law enforcement arrived, INDARTE chased his spouse through the home with a large kitchen knife.  The couple’s three-year-old son was present during the assault.

            Following the assault and a no contact order, INDARTE tried repeatedly to contact his former spouse in violation of the order and used falsified emails to try to make it appear the former spouse had fabricated information provided to the FBI.  INDARTE used threats to try to convince his former spouse to stop cooperating with law enforcement.

            The case is being resolved in federal court, because the rape and assault occurred on JBLM.  INDARTE was arrested in December 2017 at his father’s residence in High Point, North Carolina.  He has been detained since his arrest.  INDARTE pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact in March 2019.

            The case was investigated by the FBI and the Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID).

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Grady Leupold.