Rochester business owner faces child rape charges in Thurston County Superior Court
A Rochester business owner accused of raping a child under the age of 12 has been charged in Thurston County Superior Court.
The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Kevin James Mills, the 38-year-old owner of Hive 5 Bees and Pacific Northwest Honey, with first-degree rape of a child and incest on Tuesday.
Deputies arrested Mills on May 22, a day after receiving a report of a sex offense from a family friend and business associate of Mills, according to court records. However, the report came about a year after the associate and a local pastor separately heard about the allegations from Mills and his wife.
The pastor at Rochester Life Assembly of God did not inform law enforcement about what he knew until a deputy recently interviewed him as part of the investigation, according to court records.
Mills attended his preliminary appearance in Superior Court on May 23. Judge Allyson Zipp found probable cause for charge of first-degree rape of a child and set bail at $50,000.
Zipp also barred him from contacting the child he is accused of abusing as well as people deputies interviewed during the investigation.
Court records show Mills posted bail later that day and was released from the Thurston County jail. He has no known past adult criminal convictions.
Mills’ website describes him as a Canadian-born son of a traveling evangelist as well as a Rochester-based touring musician with a “diverse portfolio of business involvements.”
The investigation
A probable cause statement describes the investigation into the alleged crimes from the perspective of law enforcement.
The Olympian has opted to limit what details it shares about the investigation to protect the identity of the child who was allegedly abused.
A business associate of Mills told law enforcement Mills’ wife had a “nervous breakdown” about a year ago. The associate alleged Mills’ wife told her and her husband that Mills was having an “affair” with a young child.
Mills’ wife reportedly became upset when the associate said Mills’ conduct was sexual abuse and child molestation rather than an affair. Mills’ wife reportedly said she did not want her family broken up. Mills then walked into the room, allegedly admitted to the abuse and said his “life was in their hands.”
The associate told law enforcement she did not report the incident at the time because she did not have any physical evidence. Instead, the statement says the associate and her husband decided to “closely monitor” the Mills for the next year.
On May 3, the associate saw something she considered suspicious. She allegedly told law enforcement that she believed Mills assaulted the young child in question under a blanket.
When asked why she did not report this incident until weeks later, the associate reportedly said she still had no “physical proof.” She added a similar incident happened to one of her family members and the “system failed” them because they did not have any proof.
The associate met with other people who knew the Mills on May 17 and they decided to contact a private investigator, according to the statement. When briefed about the situation, the investigator reportedly told them to report the incident to law enforcement.
The associate also contacted another mutual business partner about Mills. The partner allegedly said Mills previously admitted to “inappropriate touching” of the young child.
On May 20, the associate convened a four-way business call that included Mills. The business partners allegedly told Mills he had to turn himself in to law enforcement or continue seeking guidance from his pastor.
The associate said Mills needed to go to jail and Mills’ wife began crying, according to the statement. Mills’ wife reportedly said in response that her family has had the “best year of their life” and she would be “tearing their family apart” if she reported Mills.
Following this conversation, the associate and her husband reportedly decided to step away from their business relationship with the Mills.
The associate told law enforcement they believed Mills was moving all finances and business relations into his wife’s name in anticipation of being arrested, according to the statement.
A deputy contacted the mutual business partner. He allegedly told the deputy Mills admitted to sexually assaulting the young child “multiple times” over a six-month period, according to the probable cause statement.
The deputy later went to Mills’ home to contact his family. Mills reportedly answered the door and said his family was not home. The statement says the deputy arrested Mills and he declined to speak with the deputy.
The deputy also spoke with Mills’ pastor outside the Rochester Life Assembly of God. The pastor allegedly told the deputy that Mills and his wife informed him on April 18, 2023, about conduct that was “sexual in nature” between Mills and the young child.
The statement says the pastor “was supportive and prayed” with the Mills about the situation. He reportedly spoke with them 2-3 times afterward to “make sure the behavior had stopped.”
The pastor told the deputy he did not know details about the sexual allegations and did not believe the acts continued after their initial conversation about them, according to the probable cause statement.
The statement says the pastor was in “absolute shock” and had never seen anything that would prompt him to believe the alleged acts were true.
A detective also spoke with Mills’ wife. She told the deputy she knew of the allegations for about a year and confirmed them with the young child, according to the statement.
She said she was “scared because she would lose her house, business and family,” according to the statement.
Mills is due back in court on June 4 for his arraignment hearing.
This story was originally published May 29, 2024 at 12:59 PM.
