Billings man accused of raping teens

Billings Gazette - 4/13/2024

Apr. 13—A Billings man is facing multiple rape charges following a Billings Police Department investigation into possible human trafficking.

Austin Lane Wyss, 40, has been charged in Yellowstone County District Court with three counts of sexual intercourse without consent. The two alleged victims were under the age of 18. Wyss was arrested Friday on a six-figure warrant, and is scheduled to be arraigned Monday.

Wyss allegedly tried to buy one of the victim's silence with $2,000, begging her not to tell authorities.

In March 2024, a BPD officer received a tip of possible sex trafficking from a mandatory reporter. The officer spoke with witnesses, who said three girls from Montana had traveled to Billings a few days prior to meet with Wyss, according to charging documents. Wyss allegedly paid for a ride sharing service to bring them to his Billings home after being in touch with the girls for months. While the three were staying with Wyss, he raped two of the girls, court documents said.

In Montana, those who are mandated by state law to report suspicions of child abuse and neglect include guardians, teachers, physicians and religious leaders.

During the time the three girls were with Wyss, he allegedly gave them drugs and alcohol. A few weeks later, he sent one of the girls an online payment of $2,000, court documents said. Per social media messages reviewed by a BPD detective, the payment was to "ensure the girls' silence about what occurred in Billings," according to charging documents.

One in nine girls and 1 in 20 boys under 18 in the U.S. experience sexual abuse at some point in their lives, according to data cited by the non-profit Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. In a report covering all of 2022, the communications monitoring service Bark tallied about 9% of tweens tweens and 14% of teens encountering predatory behaviors from someone online.

On Thursday, Yellowstone County prosecutors filed criminal charges against Wyss, and District Judge Thomas Pardy signed a $250,000 warrant for his arrest. Wyss was booked into Yellowstone County Detention Facility the following day.

If convicted of any count of sexual intercourse without consent, Wyss could be sentenced up to life in prison and face a fine of up to $50,000.