Multi-agency response nets arrest of violent crime suspect

A Post Falls man with 19 prior bookings into Kootenai County Jail was arrested Thursday on suspicion of committing rape, attempted strangulation, burglary, kidnapping and robbery.

Billy L. Joslin, Jr., 38, was apprehended in Post Falls by members of the North Idaho Violent Crimes Task Force hours after his estranged girlfriend reported to Kootenai County Sheriff’s deputies that Joslin grabbed her, forced her into her Hayden home, and then battered and raped her.

The incident allegedly occurred when the victim had gone home from work for lunch. Afterward, according to the sheriff’s office, Joslin drove the victim back to her workplace and then stole her vehicle and left the scene.

Sheriff’s deputies, with assistance from the Coeur d’Alene Police Department, completed an extensive search for Joslin, but were unable to locate him.

Joslin was later found, around 10 p.m., holed up in a shop on property in the 600 block of E. Fourth Avenue in Post Falls.

Sheriff’s detectives secured arrest and search warrants for Joslin and the property while deputies maintained a secured perimeter.

Following attempted negotiations with Joslin, the Post Falls Police’s SWAT Team was requested to aid in the search and arrest warrants. After deploying a chemical gas into the shop, Joslin exited and was taken into custody without further incident.

At the time of his arrest, Joslin was on supervised parole for previous convictions of grand theft, attempted strangulation, domestic violence and assault with intent to commit robbery. According to the Idaho Repository, one of his prior convictions for domestic violence in 2006 was an amended charge. The original charge was rape. Other prior bookings into the jail were for assault, unlawful possession of a firearm, theft, obstructing an officer, probation violation, domestic battery and various drug and driving violations.

“The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office would like to express its sincere gratitude to our detectives, deputies and our partner agencies for their tireless efforts in locating and arresting a violent crime suspect in an expedient manner,” stated a press release detailing the incident.