Verdict In for Natrona County Man Charged with Raping Multiple Victims

The verdict is in for a Natrona County man charged with raping multiple victims. After four days of trial, the jury came to a conclusion on Thursday Oct. 12.

Elijiah Dobbins was found guilty of Count IV, V, and VII, and X:

IV. Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the third degree, a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison
V. Strangulation of a Household Member, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison
VII. Unlawful Contact, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months in prison
X. House Party, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months in prison

Sentencing will take place at a later date.

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"I remember crying until I fell asleep" said one alleged victim as she took the stand this afternoon to testify against Natrona County resident Elijiah Dobbins.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" asked Assistant District attorney Ava Covert.

"I was scared."

A trial is underway for a Casper man accused of multiple sex crimes:

Two counts of Sexual Assault in the 1st Degree, punishable by up to 50 years in prison
Sexual Assault in the 2nd Degree, punishable by up to 20 years in prison
Strangulation of a household member, punishable by up to 10 years in prison
Aggravated Assault & Battery, punishable by up to 10 years in prison
Two counts of Unlawful Contact, punishable by up to 10 years in prison
Sexual Battery, a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison

Dobbins seemed calm sitting with his Public Defender, Kurt Infanger, while the first witnesses took the stand. The defendant was dressed in a pressed white shirt with a clean shave and fresh haircut.

"You didn't resist him, did you?" asked Infanger to an alleged victim called by the power of subpoena. "You didn't call out for help, did you?"

"I tried to. I quietly asked [my friend] for help, but she didn't hear me."

Infanger pressed, "You didn't scream out for help, did you?"

Tearfully, she told the State, "I was in shock. I didn't know what to do in the moment."

The next witness and alleged victim to take the stand stated that she hesitated before going to the Halloween party at Dobbins' house that night. She said she didn't know him and wasn't sure, but she and her friends went anyway.

She says that upon arrival Dobbins began handing out shots of liquor. They were playing a drinking game like "Never Have I Ever" when things got spotty.

She testified that Dobbins had been flirty at the party, talking about how "sexy" she was and asking her if she wanted to have sex.

"I told him no."

Despite that, she said she recalled being in a bathroom at the party when Dobbins entered, locked the door and forcibly raped her.

The witness/alleged victim explained that she was scared to go to the police right away. She claims she didn't know Dobbins and feared what could happen.

Her parents, along with other alleged victims' parents, urged her to press charges.

It was two days after the assault. Forensic Sexual Assault Exams were performed.

DNA evidence from a crime like sexual assault is collected from the body, clothes, and other personal belongings. It is also known as a “rape kit.”

The trial is scheduled for five days. After the jury reaches a decision on the verdict they are to notify the judge, the lawyers, and the defendant in open court.

We will update this story as it unfolds.

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On November 1st, police were notified of a sexual assault on two women, one of which was a minor. Another young woman, by accounts, was choked unconscious.

In a series of interviews, the victims told police they consumed liquor at the party and began to feel the effects soon after -- one "had two shots and immediately did not feel right." Others recall blacking out. One victim "had to be transported to the emergency room, due to her level of intoxication, and being unresponsive."

Another explained that after taking the first shot she "felt like she had taken five shots at once" and "felt super drunk even though [sic] she was not. She felt she could not walk, and was stumbling."

The alleged victims corroborated that, during the course of the evening, Dobbins raped them one-by-one.

The affidavit says that videos were supplied to investigators from the night of the party.

One is about three seconds long and shows someone on the floor with Dobbins kneeling over them. At the end of the video, Dobbins appears to be holding the person's shirt at, or around their throat. Ultimately the video ends with the person lying motionless on the floor. Per court records.