Stolen valor: Fake Marine accused of rape
COEUR d'ALENE - A Spokane man faces six counts of rape in Kootenai County and seven related charges of stealing money from his alleged victims and one other woman.
To win the trust and favor of the women, Michael J. McNearney Jr. lied about being a U.S. Marine, police reports said.
McNearney, 25, is accused of raping four women in 2013, including one of the victims three different times in one month, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Kootenai County Prosecutor's Office in 1st District Court.
Prosecutor Barry McHugh declined to comment about the case on Tuesday.
In addition to the rape charges, McNearney is charged with three counts of felony grand theft of a financial transaction card, two counts of felony grand theft by deception, and two counts of misdemeanor petit theft by deception.
A probable cause hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Thursday, when prosecutors will call witnesses and present some evidence and ask a magistrate to move the case to District Court for trial.
Three of the rape charges stem from the alleged rape of one woman three times in August 2013.
The woman, who is now 28 and moved from Idaho to another state, told investigators for the Coeur d'Alene Police Department that McNearney convinced her to give him $620 for gambling at Northern Quest casino in Airway Heights on their first date. They met on the dating website "PlentyOfFish."
"Michael claimed to have been in the Marines for two years, owned a house, owned an Audi and a truck," according to a police report. "Michael claimed he worked in the oil fields in North Dakota. All of this turned out to be a lie."
The woman said she felt sorry for McNearney, who allegedly told lies about him being molested as a child and having cancer.
Another woman, who is now 26 and lives in Hayden, told Coeur d'Alene police she was allegedly raped in February 2013 by McNearney after meeting him on PlentyOfFish.
He asked this woman for money to pay a medical bill for his child, according to a police report.
McNearney, who has never been in the Marines, has a Marine Corps motto tattooed on his back.
Another alleged victim told police she gave McNearney an estimated $5,000 in cash for various items and services he wanted, including to rent a limo for a friend. He allegedly claimed the friend just graduated from the police academy.
Another woman, now 24 years old, told police she was allegedly raped by McNearney in March 2013 after connecting on the same dating website as the others. They met at the Corner Bar in Coeur d'Alene, got drunk, and went back to a home in Coeur d'Alene where he was staying.
She said they went to his bedroom to watch a movie and she fell asleep, but woke later to find herself face down wearing only a T-shirt and McNearney allegedly raping her from behind.
A 30-year-old Spokane woman said she was raped by McNearney in August 2013, and that he owed her $4,900. She said she continued to meet up with McNearney to try and get her money back.
Lt. Stu Miller of the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday afternoon that McNearney remained in custody at the Kootenai County jail.
In February of last year, the Spokane County Sheriff's Office announced that McNearney was arrested on counts of indecent liberties, first-degree theft, unlawful imprisonment and assault.
He was released on bail at the time and charged with second-degree assault by strangulation.
The sheriff's office press announcement said McNearney was the subject of a lengthy investigation into possible charges of identity theft, assaults, threats and other crimes possibly involving more than a dozen women in Spokane and Kootenai counties dating back to 2010.
He is reported to have met most of the women at night clubs, bars, on social media and via online dating websites.
"He often claims he is an active-duty Marine in an attempt to gain favor and credibility, but the U.S. armed services confirm he has never been in the military," the sheriff's office said.