Oregon man suspect in rape of girl, 15, in Orchards

A Beaverton, Ore., man is accused of meeting a 15-year-old girl online and then having sex with her inside his vehicle at Vancouver’s Orchards Park.

Nicholas P. Rhine, 23, appeared Wednesday in Clark County Superior Court on suspicion of third-degree rape.

Judge Suzan Clark held him in lieu of $10,000 bail and appointed Camas attorney David Schultz to defend him. He’s scheduled to be arraigned May 21 on the charge.

The alleged victim told investigators that she met Rhine via Kik Messenger.

Kik is an online smartphone application has a built-in browser, allowing people to chat without disclosing their phone numbers.

In at least one of their chats, she told Rhine that she was 15, according to a court affidavit by Vancouver police Detective Barb Kipp.

She met Rhine in person July 6 and had sex with him in his vehicle while it was parked in Orchards Park, 9800 N.E. 54th St, Kipp wrote.

When confronted, Rhine confessed to the crime, according to court records.