WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. — Whatcom County Superior Court records provided more details behind the multiple sex crimes and assault charges filed last week against a Bellingham man. In addition, they revealed that a second suspect is being sought on similar charges related to crimes with the same juvenile victims.
The affidavit for probable cause submitted by prosecutors said the suspects knew the 2 victims and assaulted them repeatedly between 2002 and 2009.
The suspect arrested last week was identified as Brian Matthew Drake, age 31. The second suspect being sought is identified in the court records as Brian’s brother, Aaron Joseph Drake, age 33.
Aaron is described as a white male, 5 feet and 7 inches tall, weighing 180 pounds with green eyes and brown hair. His last known address is in Billings, Montana.
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Click for more informationAn active arrest warrant was issued on September 21st for Aaron’s arrest and he will face the following felony charges in Whatcom County Superior Court.
- 3 counts of 1st-degree rape of a child
- 4 counts of 1st-degree child molestation
- 2 counts of 2nd-degree rape of a child
- indecent liberties with forcible compulsion
- 2 counts of 1st-degree incest
- 3rd-degree rape of a child
- voyeurism
The suspects’ parents were made aware of the abuse and confronted the suspects according to investigators. The parents were led to believe the abuse had occurred “a couple of times.” The victims told investigators they were “[too] scared to say anything” at the time. The parents told investigators they sought assistance from their church and were advised to keep the victims separated from the suspects.
When the ex-wife of 1 of the suspects was contacted by investigators, she said she had been waiting for a call from law enforcement since 2018 when 1 of the victims told her about the assaults. When confronted with the victim’s claims, the suspect admitted some of the assaults had happened, wrote notes to the victims apologizing for the assaults and unsuccessfully attempted suicide. The ex-wife said she kept the letters.
The other suspect currently has an active out-of-state sexual assault case after being arrested and charged last year with sexual intercourse without consent, assault with victim younger than 16 and 2 counts of assault with a weapon.