NORTHAMPTON — A Springfield man described by the prosecutor as a level-2 sex offender with a lengthy record, including “numerous” prior convictions for sex offenses, denied Thursday that he kidnapped a woman in South Hadley, drove her to a secluded area and raped her in 2014.
Jason Coons, 37, pleaded not guilty in Hampshire Superior Court to two counts of aggravated rape and one count each of kidnapping and intimidating a witness. Cash bail was set at $100,000.
Coons will not be permitted near the alleged victim or be allowed to go to her workplace if he posts bail, according to the conditions of his release.
A grand jury indicted Coons on the charges Tuesday, and a warrant for his arrest was issued Wednesday. The Northwestern district attorney’s office did not respond to a request for additional comment about the case.
In November 2014, Coons “is alleged to have kidnapped and raped the victim after driving her down a dark, secluded road in the middle of the night … and then threatened and intimidated her from calling the police,” according to court documents filed Thursday.
Coons has no association with the woman other than having visited her workplace in South Hadley, those records state.
Assistant Northwestern District Attorney Jennifer Suhl noted in a motion, which bars Coons from viewing any personal information associated with witnesses in the case, that he is a level-2 sex offender and has “numerous” prior convictions for sex crimes, including indecent assault and battery on a child younger than 14, as well as other violent offenses.
He also has previously served at least five years in state prison and has had three restraining orders against him in the past, according to court documents.
Coons, who is represented by Korrina Burnham of the Committee for Public Counsel Services, is due back in court Aug. 11.
Michael Majchrowicz can be reached at mmajchrowicz@gazettenet.com or 413-585-5234.