A man who raped his wife and terrorized their children was sentenced to 56 1/4 years in the Oregon prison system on August 10, 2011. 50 year old Diego Lara Andrade was convicted of numerous sex crimes at the conclusion of a two day trial which took place in a Umatilla County, Or courtroom on July 25 and July 26.
50 year old Diego Lara Andrade of Hermiston, OR was convicted of sexual attacks on his wife, the mother of his children, between March and October 2010. The jury convicted him of several counts of rape, sodomy, and physical abuse of his victimized wife.
Each of the sex crimes defendant was convicted of are listed under Oregon’s Ballot Measure 11, requiring minimum mandatory prison sentences. Convicts sentenced under Oregon’s Ballot Measure 11 are not eligible for parole or any other forms of early release.
Judge Daniel Hill presided over the trial and sentencing of Andrade. Judge Hill imposed five consecutive 100 month sentences in prison for each of the counts of rape in the first degree, one consecutive 100 month sentence for sodomy in the first degree, and one 75 month consecutive sentence for sexual abuse in the first degree for a total of 675 months (56 ¼ years) in prison, without any eligibility for early release.
Judge Hill said that it was his "own arrogance toward his wife and his family that put him in the position he is now in," and that he expected Andrade to die in prison.
Showing posts with label OR. Show all posts
Showing posts with label OR. Show all posts
Friday, August 26, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Husband gets 10 years in university dean's slaying
On Monday, February 28, 61 year old William Murray Wiggins received 10 years for the 1st degree manslaughter of his wife, an assistant dean of the University of Oregon College of Education. The dean, 62 year old Andrea Nicholson Wiggins, was found strangled in a bathtub at her Springfield, OR home March 5, 2010. The perpetrator pled guilty to 1st degree manslaughter because prosecutors were uncertain that they could prove 2nd degree murder. Lane Circuit Judge Charles Carlson presided over the plea deal and sentencing.
William Wiggins initially reported his wife’s death as an accidental drowning. He might have succeeded at the ruse had Andrea Wiggins not left injuries on her husband’s body as she fought for her life, Springfield police Sgt. David Lewis said after the brief sentencing hearing.
Lewis credited Springfield police Detective Larry Turner with asking to see and then photographing scratch marks and “a severe bite mark” on William Wiggins’ chest after responding to a 911 report of “an elderly female found dead in a hot tub.”
Strangulation bruises were “not obvious” on Andrea Wiggins’ neck, Lewis said — perhaps because her body remained in the hot tub after her death.
William Wiggins claimed he killed his wife "while under the influence of extreme emotional disturbance,” but Springfield police indicated that the lack of financial contribution on his part to the marriage lead to the argument which lead to the slaying.
At the time of Andrea Wiggins’ death, William Wiggins had an inactive real estate broker’s license and she was the primary breadwinner. Her professional accomplishments included raising $30 million in private donations for a new College of Education building that opened in 2009.
According to the victim's son Alexander Vollmer, "she told us that Bill had no savings or money of his own and that she would have to earn enough for them both.” The victim's father said “I believe Andrea had had about enough and Wiggins was aware he was about to lose his meal ticket.
Before the sentence was passed, William said “Andrea was the love of my life and I’ll never forget her. I took away a daughter and a mother and a grandmother from her family. I cannot ask for their forgiveness. I can only hope for their understanding some day.”
Lane County Deputy District Attorney Bob Lane said the victim's family accepted the plea agreement because the perpetrator has reliquenched “all claims to property belonging to the victim, the victim’s estate, and to any proceeds of any life insurance policies. They wanted to make sure that he didn’t benefit from her death.”
Laura Fine, William Wiggins's attorney, said that the strangling of his wife was an anomoly in their 13 year marriage. "All reports indicate that this was a very loving couple with no history of domestic violence.” Her client's actions, she explained, was “the documented side effect of explosive rage caused by one of his prescription medications.”
Vollmer gave a victim impact statement saying that “It’s unbearable to think about how terrified my mother must have been in the last moments of her life,” As his rock, "Every day I miss her sound advice, her wacky sense of humor, her delight in retelling family stories, and even her constant worrying. Her absence has left a gaping hole in our lives.”
The son is still “shock and terrible distress at the nature of my mom’s death and Bill’s role in it," with the worst part being “having to explain to my 7-year-old daughter how her nanny had died.”
The victim's father Jack Nicholson wrote Judge Carlson explaining that his former son-in-law was
“a cruel, callous and calculating killer” and a “deadbeat,” in contrast to his daughter, who "was a precious and special person” who “worked all her life trying to make things better.”
William Wiggins initially reported his wife’s death as an accidental drowning. He might have succeeded at the ruse had Andrea Wiggins not left injuries on her husband’s body as she fought for her life, Springfield police Sgt. David Lewis said after the brief sentencing hearing.
Lewis credited Springfield police Detective Larry Turner with asking to see and then photographing scratch marks and “a severe bite mark” on William Wiggins’ chest after responding to a 911 report of “an elderly female found dead in a hot tub.”
Strangulation bruises were “not obvious” on Andrea Wiggins’ neck, Lewis said — perhaps because her body remained in the hot tub after her death.
William Wiggins claimed he killed his wife "while under the influence of extreme emotional disturbance,” but Springfield police indicated that the lack of financial contribution on his part to the marriage lead to the argument which lead to the slaying.
At the time of Andrea Wiggins’ death, William Wiggins had an inactive real estate broker’s license and she was the primary breadwinner. Her professional accomplishments included raising $30 million in private donations for a new College of Education building that opened in 2009.
According to the victim's son Alexander Vollmer, "she told us that Bill had no savings or money of his own and that she would have to earn enough for them both.” The victim's father said “I believe Andrea had had about enough and Wiggins was aware he was about to lose his meal ticket.
Before the sentence was passed, William said “Andrea was the love of my life and I’ll never forget her. I took away a daughter and a mother and a grandmother from her family. I cannot ask for their forgiveness. I can only hope for their understanding some day.”
Lane County Deputy District Attorney Bob Lane said the victim's family accepted the plea agreement because the perpetrator has reliquenched “all claims to property belonging to the victim, the victim’s estate, and to any proceeds of any life insurance policies. They wanted to make sure that he didn’t benefit from her death.”
Laura Fine, William Wiggins's attorney, said that the strangling of his wife was an anomoly in their 13 year marriage. "All reports indicate that this was a very loving couple with no history of domestic violence.” Her client's actions, she explained, was “the documented side effect of explosive rage caused by one of his prescription medications.”
Vollmer gave a victim impact statement saying that “It’s unbearable to think about how terrified my mother must have been in the last moments of her life,” As his rock, "Every day I miss her sound advice, her wacky sense of humor, her delight in retelling family stories, and even her constant worrying. Her absence has left a gaping hole in our lives.”
The son is still “shock and terrible distress at the nature of my mom’s death and Bill’s role in it," with the worst part being “having to explain to my 7-year-old daughter how her nanny had died.”
The victim's father Jack Nicholson wrote Judge Carlson explaining that his former son-in-law was
“a cruel, callous and calculating killer” and a “deadbeat,” in contrast to his daughter, who "was a precious and special person” who “worked all her life trying to make things better.”
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Massage therapist sentenced to 4 years 2 months for groping patients
An Oregon City, OR massage therapist was sentenced to four years and two months in prison for fondling vulnerable women. Rick McDaniel, the owner of Soulful Massage Therapy, plead guilty to 2 counts of second-degree sexual abuse in Clackamas County Circuit Court Tuesday, August 10. Originally, McDaniel was charged with 17 counts of 2nd degree sex assault involving 13 women, but most of the counts were dismissed as part of a plea agreement. After a victim videotaped McDaniel admitting the groping and blaming it on sex addiction, he was indicted in March this year.
McDaniel selected particularly vulnerable women -- one had leukemia, another had been raped years earlier, said prosecutor Bill Golden. The women need someone caring to talk to as they tried to "regain a sense of well being and balance," Golden said. Instead, they met a man who used the encounters "for his own gratification," Golden said.
Four victims were present during McDaniel's sentence. The former rape survivor said, "Over time, I opened my heart and revealed my personal history.You can't understand the pain I feel." A second victim stated, "I can't get back what I lost. Now I have hate inside me. You're a very sick person. You're not a man, you're an animal."
After McDaniel had tried to apologize to his victims, Circuit Judge Ronald D. Thom prevented him from doing so. "I think that would be highly inappropriate given the circumstances," said Judge Thom.
McDaniel selected particularly vulnerable women -- one had leukemia, another had been raped years earlier, said prosecutor Bill Golden. The women need someone caring to talk to as they tried to "regain a sense of well being and balance," Golden said. Instead, they met a man who used the encounters "for his own gratification," Golden said.
Four victims were present during McDaniel's sentence. The former rape survivor said, "Over time, I opened my heart and revealed my personal history.You can't understand the pain I feel." A second victim stated, "I can't get back what I lost. Now I have hate inside me. You're a very sick person. You're not a man, you're an animal."
After McDaniel had tried to apologize to his victims, Circuit Judge Ronald D. Thom prevented him from doing so. "I think that would be highly inappropriate given the circumstances," said Judge Thom.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Loophole in Oregon DV laws leave victims unprotected after sentence completion
Maxine Bernstein
(AP) — PORTLAND, Ore. - Ten years after she survived a brutal beating by her husband who struck her repeatedly in the head with what police suspect was a crowbar, Erika Belka is scrambling to put together a safety plan.
John Belka, now 52, served seven years in prison for attempted murder, followed by three years parole. Under a plea deal, the state agreed not to bring additional charges involving suspected sexual misconduct with his children.
Parole officers kept close watch on Belka the past three years with stringent conditions: sex-offender treatment and regular polygraph tests; orders to not contact his wife, their seven children, his sister, sister-in-law or any minors; and an electronic bracelet with a GPS system that tracked his whereabouts with directives not to travel to Portland's east side except to see his parole officer.
On Dec. 7, Belka completed his parole, and the conditions, treatments and tracking systems are gone.
Oregon has no other way to protect victims, unlike neighbor Washington state, which offers criminal no-contact orders that can extend after an offender's sentence and parole are completed. And, unlike many states, Oregon places a restriction of six months from the time the violence or a threat occurred to the time the victim can petition for a civil restraining order, unless the person was in jail or out of state.
In Belka's case, neither applies because he's been on parole for three years, living in Portland. His ex-wife would have had to get the restraining order immediately when Belka was released from jail and renew it annually.
"When the supervision ends, it sometimes leaves people out there without any protections," said Kim Hirota, Belka's parole officer. "If I were in her place, I'd be worried right now. There doesn't seem like there's a lot we can do legally for her."
Washington state does have criminal no-contact protection. In fact, it's perhaps the most expansive of any in the nation, said Doug Miles, a former Colorado prosecutor who now is an advisor to the Washington, D.C.-based AEquitas: The Prosecutor's Resource on Violence Against Women. There, judges routinely order domestic violence defendants to have no contact with their victims, usually for the duration of the crime's maximum penalty, even if the person convicted doesn't serve that long.
If Belka had been convicted of attempted murder in Seattle, for example, he'd be ordered to have no contact with his ex-wife the rest of his life because attempted murder carries a maximum of life in prison. If he did contact her, he'd face criminal sanctions, initially a misdemeanor that would rise to a felony after multiple violations.
"The reason we ask for no-contact orders here is because we want to provide every protection for victims that we can," said David Martin, King County senior deputy prosecuting attorney who oversees domestic violence cases. "I think it's pretty basic."
Christine Herrman, a former King County prosecutor who now directs Oregon's Sexual Assault Task Force; Multnomah County domestic violence coordinator Chiquita Rollins; and Rod Underhill, a Multnomah County chief deputy district attorney, all say the Belka case shows a gap in legal protections that Oregon should fix.
Herrman said seeking more protection for victims after defendants have completed their parole is something the Oregon Legislative Alliance to End Violence Against Women will consider in the 2010 special or 2011 regular legislative session. "I do think there's a hole," Herrman said. "I don't think many of us would expect to have the unwelcome surprise of running into our offender, especially after clearly surviving such a horrendous attack."
About 5:30 a.m. April 16, 1999, paramedics found Erika Belka on her back along the driveway of her Northeast Portland home, bleeding heavily. Her husband was shirtless, kneeling beside her, blood on his mouth and arms. Belka told police he suspected his wife interrupted a burglary while she was on the porch praying. The couple were active in New Song Community Church.
Police determined that Erika Belka, who counseled church women, had kept mum about serious problems in her own home. The day before the assault, though, she confided to a friend concerns that her husband had blown her inheritance and wasn't paying the bills, and she learned he hadn't been telling her when her sister called.
Doctors initially said she had a 20 percent chance of survival, with nearly 1,000 skull fractures and bruising on the left side of her brain. The prognosis improved, yet John Belka seemed to keep pressing for a do-not-resuscitate order, police records show. Detectives arrested him June 11, 1999. By January 2000, he pleaded no contest to attempted murder, and the state agreed not to pursue sexual abuse allegations made by his children.
The plea deal meant the state could monitor him heavily during his parole but couldn't register him as a sex offender or alert the public upon his release. A community alert, drafted in 2006 but not publicized, described Belka's method of offending: gains access to minors by placing himself in a position of responsibility over them, has joined religious congregations to gain access to potential victims. "My biggest concern is that because of the plea bargain and how he was charged, the community can't be warned," said his sister, Lynn Siva-Wentzel.
Erika Belka's older sister became her legal guardian the past 10 years and handled her medical and health needs, legal and financial matters. The Belkas' seven children-six of whom they had adopted-were placed in foster care; one was adopted. All but one are now adults.
Erika Belka, now 55, has made a slow but remarkable recovery, lives independently and volunteers. She's had numerous surgeries to relieve pressure in her skull, including one earlier this year. She still has a brain shunt and plates in her head, suffers hearing and vision loss, headaches, seizures, significant short-term memory loss, vertigo and cognitive impairment. Belka, her sister and John's sister recently met with his parole officer to plan for their safety. Police have flagged their addresses. If problems arise, the county's Domestic Violence Reduction Unit is to be alerted.
John Belka says he lives with what he's done. He says he's not going to contact his ex-wife or children and just wants to keep his job of three years, dispatching for a trucking company. He said he wouldn't have minded a no-contact order post parole. "I recognize what I did was wrong. It was evil. I bear all the responsibility, and I own that every single day," he said. "My responsibility is to stay away because I've hurt everybody so bad."
Domestic violence experts and prosecutors say tweaks in the law or new statutes might be warranted. Underhill wasn't aware of Washington's criminal no-contact law but thinks it bears looking at. Defense lawyers, however, may object to post-parole court orders. "I understand the logic behind it, but you have to balance that against someone's constitutional rights," said Jon Martz, a Portland criminal defense lawyer.
Other states also allow longer durations for civil protective orders, including Washington and Colorado, where they may be permanent.Rollins said it might be easier to tweak the existing civil restraining order law in Oregon, adding a clause that would allow domestic violence victims to obtain them within six months of the completion of an offender's parole or probation.
Other states, including Washington and California, can grant permanent civil protective orders. In Oregon, there was a trade-off-making it easier for victims to obtain the civil orders without a hearing at which they'd have to face their offender, while requiring victims to renew them annually.
Belka's parole officer is frustrated. "He had all these conditions, and the people in this situation don't want contact with him," she said. "Now, he's just free to do what he wants." While John Belka's sentence may be up, Erika Belka's will never be lifted. "I think one of the things that hit home to me" Hirota said, "is when she said, 'You know, I'll never be done with this."
(AP) — PORTLAND, Ore. - Ten years after she survived a brutal beating by her husband who struck her repeatedly in the head with what police suspect was a crowbar, Erika Belka is scrambling to put together a safety plan.
John Belka, now 52, served seven years in prison for attempted murder, followed by three years parole. Under a plea deal, the state agreed not to bring additional charges involving suspected sexual misconduct with his children.
Parole officers kept close watch on Belka the past three years with stringent conditions: sex-offender treatment and regular polygraph tests; orders to not contact his wife, their seven children, his sister, sister-in-law or any minors; and an electronic bracelet with a GPS system that tracked his whereabouts with directives not to travel to Portland's east side except to see his parole officer.
On Dec. 7, Belka completed his parole, and the conditions, treatments and tracking systems are gone.
Oregon has no other way to protect victims, unlike neighbor Washington state, which offers criminal no-contact orders that can extend after an offender's sentence and parole are completed. And, unlike many states, Oregon places a restriction of six months from the time the violence or a threat occurred to the time the victim can petition for a civil restraining order, unless the person was in jail or out of state.
In Belka's case, neither applies because he's been on parole for three years, living in Portland. His ex-wife would have had to get the restraining order immediately when Belka was released from jail and renew it annually.
"When the supervision ends, it sometimes leaves people out there without any protections," said Kim Hirota, Belka's parole officer. "If I were in her place, I'd be worried right now. There doesn't seem like there's a lot we can do legally for her."
Washington state does have criminal no-contact protection. In fact, it's perhaps the most expansive of any in the nation, said Doug Miles, a former Colorado prosecutor who now is an advisor to the Washington, D.C.-based AEquitas: The Prosecutor's Resource on Violence Against Women. There, judges routinely order domestic violence defendants to have no contact with their victims, usually for the duration of the crime's maximum penalty, even if the person convicted doesn't serve that long.
If Belka had been convicted of attempted murder in Seattle, for example, he'd be ordered to have no contact with his ex-wife the rest of his life because attempted murder carries a maximum of life in prison. If he did contact her, he'd face criminal sanctions, initially a misdemeanor that would rise to a felony after multiple violations.
"The reason we ask for no-contact orders here is because we want to provide every protection for victims that we can," said David Martin, King County senior deputy prosecuting attorney who oversees domestic violence cases. "I think it's pretty basic."
Christine Herrman, a former King County prosecutor who now directs Oregon's Sexual Assault Task Force; Multnomah County domestic violence coordinator Chiquita Rollins; and Rod Underhill, a Multnomah County chief deputy district attorney, all say the Belka case shows a gap in legal protections that Oregon should fix.
Herrman said seeking more protection for victims after defendants have completed their parole is something the Oregon Legislative Alliance to End Violence Against Women will consider in the 2010 special or 2011 regular legislative session. "I do think there's a hole," Herrman said. "I don't think many of us would expect to have the unwelcome surprise of running into our offender, especially after clearly surviving such a horrendous attack."
About 5:30 a.m. April 16, 1999, paramedics found Erika Belka on her back along the driveway of her Northeast Portland home, bleeding heavily. Her husband was shirtless, kneeling beside her, blood on his mouth and arms. Belka told police he suspected his wife interrupted a burglary while she was on the porch praying. The couple were active in New Song Community Church.
Police determined that Erika Belka, who counseled church women, had kept mum about serious problems in her own home. The day before the assault, though, she confided to a friend concerns that her husband had blown her inheritance and wasn't paying the bills, and she learned he hadn't been telling her when her sister called.
Doctors initially said she had a 20 percent chance of survival, with nearly 1,000 skull fractures and bruising on the left side of her brain. The prognosis improved, yet John Belka seemed to keep pressing for a do-not-resuscitate order, police records show. Detectives arrested him June 11, 1999. By January 2000, he pleaded no contest to attempted murder, and the state agreed not to pursue sexual abuse allegations made by his children.
The plea deal meant the state could monitor him heavily during his parole but couldn't register him as a sex offender or alert the public upon his release. A community alert, drafted in 2006 but not publicized, described Belka's method of offending: gains access to minors by placing himself in a position of responsibility over them, has joined religious congregations to gain access to potential victims. "My biggest concern is that because of the plea bargain and how he was charged, the community can't be warned," said his sister, Lynn Siva-Wentzel.
Erika Belka's older sister became her legal guardian the past 10 years and handled her medical and health needs, legal and financial matters. The Belkas' seven children-six of whom they had adopted-were placed in foster care; one was adopted. All but one are now adults.
Erika Belka, now 55, has made a slow but remarkable recovery, lives independently and volunteers. She's had numerous surgeries to relieve pressure in her skull, including one earlier this year. She still has a brain shunt and plates in her head, suffers hearing and vision loss, headaches, seizures, significant short-term memory loss, vertigo and cognitive impairment. Belka, her sister and John's sister recently met with his parole officer to plan for their safety. Police have flagged their addresses. If problems arise, the county's Domestic Violence Reduction Unit is to be alerted.
John Belka says he lives with what he's done. He says he's not going to contact his ex-wife or children and just wants to keep his job of three years, dispatching for a trucking company. He said he wouldn't have minded a no-contact order post parole. "I recognize what I did was wrong. It was evil. I bear all the responsibility, and I own that every single day," he said. "My responsibility is to stay away because I've hurt everybody so bad."
Domestic violence experts and prosecutors say tweaks in the law or new statutes might be warranted. Underhill wasn't aware of Washington's criminal no-contact law but thinks it bears looking at. Defense lawyers, however, may object to post-parole court orders. "I understand the logic behind it, but you have to balance that against someone's constitutional rights," said Jon Martz, a Portland criminal defense lawyer.
Other states also allow longer durations for civil protective orders, including Washington and Colorado, where they may be permanent.Rollins said it might be easier to tweak the existing civil restraining order law in Oregon, adding a clause that would allow domestic violence victims to obtain them within six months of the completion of an offender's parole or probation.
Other states, including Washington and California, can grant permanent civil protective orders. In Oregon, there was a trade-off-making it easier for victims to obtain the civil orders without a hearing at which they'd have to face their offender, while requiring victims to renew them annually.
Belka's parole officer is frustrated. "He had all these conditions, and the people in this situation don't want contact with him," she said. "Now, he's just free to do what he wants." While John Belka's sentence may be up, Erika Belka's will never be lifted. "I think one of the things that hit home to me" Hirota said, "is when she said, 'You know, I'll never be done with this."
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Four year Portland police veteran sentenced to 6 months in jail for harassing calls to women, girls
A former Portland, OR police officer was sentenced to 6 months in jail Monday, November 30, 2009 for obscene telephone calls directed against other police officers and relatives, including a 14 year old girl. Twenty-eight year old Joseph Wild was sentenced to 6 months in jail and 5 years of probation by on 15 counts of official misconduct, 5 counts of telephonic harassment and a count for menacing.
Multnomah County Judge Kenneth R. Walker also placed Wild under a permanent restraining order all victims, including his sister in law and his youngest victim, a 14 year old girl. Judge Walker ordered him to undergo counseling, 180 hours of community service, and an exit interview with the Portland police force's psychologist. Wild lost his police certification and is barred from using pornography.
Wild was accused of repeatedly making sexually-explicit phone calls to 10 females, including to two female police recruits and a 14-year-old relative, between November 2008 and April 2009. During some calls, he threatened to rape the women or told them he wanted to see them naked, according to court documents.
The Wild case began Feb. 2 when three women police cadets at the state police academy reported receiving harassing phone calls. Even after Portland detectives began a criminal inquiry, Wild used his bureau-issued cell phone to make more than 50 calls to his teenage relative between Feb. 24 and April 23, calls the 14-year-old told investigators made her extremely frightened and made her cry, court records show.
Wild, who worked North Precinct, was arrested on June 12. As Wild faced indictment that month, Police Chief Rosie Sizer said the organization was "both embarrassed and feels betrayed by the allegations," and pushed for the ability to give polygraph tests to police applicants, which would need legislative approval.
Other victims included a woman who Wild met while investigating a domestic violence call, and a 16 year old girl who Wild had driven to a center for missing teens.
Some on his victims testified at the sentencing, including his aunt, Amy Prazeau. Prazeau said that she is unable to forgive Wild and wishes that he had died in the line of duty instead. She told the court about how the obscene calls led her to lock herself and her 5 year old son in her bedroom with a baseball bat. The betrayal was compounded by Wild's offer to "monitor" the caller even though it was him.
John Snell, father of another victim (and Wild's father-in-law), said that disgusted with Wild, "I find it very disturbing that you would be able to be face to face with our family a few hours after making the calls and act like the perfect husband, brother-in-law and son-in-law that you wanted everyone to believe you were."
The 14 year old girl's statement, read by her attorney Erin Olsen, stated that "You called me and said things I never thought I'd hear – especially from you, a cop, a husband, a brother, a son and a friend. You can't imagine how it feels to know somebody you loved and trusted took advantage of you in such horrific ways."
Multnomah County Judge Kenneth R. Walker also placed Wild under a permanent restraining order all victims, including his sister in law and his youngest victim, a 14 year old girl. Judge Walker ordered him to undergo counseling, 180 hours of community service, and an exit interview with the Portland police force's psychologist. Wild lost his police certification and is barred from using pornography.
Wild was accused of repeatedly making sexually-explicit phone calls to 10 females, including to two female police recruits and a 14-year-old relative, between November 2008 and April 2009. During some calls, he threatened to rape the women or told them he wanted to see them naked, according to court documents.
The Wild case began Feb. 2 when three women police cadets at the state police academy reported receiving harassing phone calls. Even after Portland detectives began a criminal inquiry, Wild used his bureau-issued cell phone to make more than 50 calls to his teenage relative between Feb. 24 and April 23, calls the 14-year-old told investigators made her extremely frightened and made her cry, court records show.
Wild, who worked North Precinct, was arrested on June 12. As Wild faced indictment that month, Police Chief Rosie Sizer said the organization was "both embarrassed and feels betrayed by the allegations," and pushed for the ability to give polygraph tests to police applicants, which would need legislative approval.
Other victims included a woman who Wild met while investigating a domestic violence call, and a 16 year old girl who Wild had driven to a center for missing teens.
Some on his victims testified at the sentencing, including his aunt, Amy Prazeau. Prazeau said that she is unable to forgive Wild and wishes that he had died in the line of duty instead. She told the court about how the obscene calls led her to lock herself and her 5 year old son in her bedroom with a baseball bat. The betrayal was compounded by Wild's offer to "monitor" the caller even though it was him.
John Snell, father of another victim (and Wild's father-in-law), said that disgusted with Wild, "I find it very disturbing that you would be able to be face to face with our family a few hours after making the calls and act like the perfect husband, brother-in-law and son-in-law that you wanted everyone to believe you were."
The 14 year old girl's statement, read by her attorney Erin Olsen, stated that "You called me and said things I never thought I'd hear – especially from you, a cop, a husband, a brother, a son and a friend. You can't imagine how it feels to know somebody you loved and trusted took advantage of you in such horrific ways."
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Ambulance company owes $3.25 million for sexual abuse by paramedic
An ambulance company responsible for ambulance transportation in the greater Portland, OR metro area was ordered to pay $3.25 million in damages to a woman sexually abused by a paramedic currently serving 5 years in prison for sexual assault on Wednesday, September 9. The award against American Medical Response, or AMR, goes as follows - $2.25 million in damages caused by the abuse itself, and another million because the victim, 29 year old Royshekka Herring, was determined to be a vulnerable victim under state law.
[Plaintiff attorney Greg Kafoury] also said there were “two smoking guns in this case.” The first, he said, is that [former paramedic Lannie]Haszard had three complaints against him in 14 months while working for AMR and he continued to keep his job. The other is that AMR kept information about previous accusations that had been reported to them from police.
AMR serves the greater Portland area. “When you call 911, that’s who you’re going to get,” said Kafoury.
AMR’s attorney, James Dumas, said in his closing argument that Haszard “is a master of deception” and that he fooled every single person whom he worked with at AMR. He urged that “AMR Northwest is also a victim” and that they, too, were abused by Haszard.
Besides Herring, other victims of the abusive paramedic were in court September 4, listening to the closing arguments. Paula Price, a victim who complained of molestation to Portland, OR police, was one of them. After Price went to police, Haszard was caught, arrested, and evnetually convicted. “If Paula Price made her report to AMR instead of the police, would Haszard be in jail?” asked Kafoury.
[Plaintiff attorney Greg Kafoury] also said there were “two smoking guns in this case.” The first, he said, is that [former paramedic Lannie]Haszard had three complaints against him in 14 months while working for AMR and he continued to keep his job. The other is that AMR kept information about previous accusations that had been reported to them from police.
AMR serves the greater Portland area. “When you call 911, that’s who you’re going to get,” said Kafoury.
AMR’s attorney, James Dumas, said in his closing argument that Haszard “is a master of deception” and that he fooled every single person whom he worked with at AMR. He urged that “AMR Northwest is also a victim” and that they, too, were abused by Haszard.
Besides Herring, other victims of the abusive paramedic were in court September 4, listening to the closing arguments. Paula Price, a victim who complained of molestation to Portland, OR police, was one of them. After Price went to police, Haszard was caught, arrested, and evnetually convicted. “If Paula Price made her report to AMR instead of the police, would Haszard be in jail?” asked Kafoury.
AMR was on the hook for punitive damages, but the request for punitive damages was denied by a Multnomah County jury on Thursday, September 10, the day after the verdict.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
College student gets 8 1/3 years for raping coed
A former Oregon State University student got the minimum sentence - 100 months, or 8 1/3 years in prison, for the Halloween 2008 rape of a 21 year old Portland, OR woman. Gregory Thomas Sako, 20, was sentenced to the mandatory minimum for rape under Oregon's Measure 11, which also stipulates that such sentences be served in full.
The trial ended last Thursday afternoon and guilty verdict was delivered by the jury Friday morning shortly before 11 a.m.
"It was absolutely the right verdict," Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Stringer said."The biggest hurdle for me was to get the jury to focus on the evidence and not to take into account Sako's status and age. It was a relief to find out that they did just that."
Sako had previously attended OSU on an ROTC scholarship and was an active member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. He was arrested Nov. 1 and according to the OSU Registrar, dropped out of classes shortly after, where he returned to live at home in Menlo Park, Calif., until the beginning of the trial.
While Sako had also been charged with 1st and 2nd degree kidnapping, his defense attorney successfully argued to presiding judge Janet Holcomb to dismiss those charges. However, according to Stringer, those charges, if they had stuck, would have resulted in the same 100 month sentence for Sako. Coffee Creek Correctional Facility is Sako;s next stop, where he will be evaluated before Oregon prison officials decide what medium or high security prison he'll be spending his time at.
Stringer hoped that the victims of other sexual assaults are encouraged to report their perpetrators, particulary on campus.
"I believe that sexual assault at OSU is highly underreported. The victim did everything correct in her situation and I hope that others can learn from her example by coming forward."
The trial ended last Thursday afternoon and guilty verdict was delivered by the jury Friday morning shortly before 11 a.m.
"It was absolutely the right verdict," Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Stringer said."The biggest hurdle for me was to get the jury to focus on the evidence and not to take into account Sako's status and age. It was a relief to find out that they did just that."
Sako had previously attended OSU on an ROTC scholarship and was an active member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. He was arrested Nov. 1 and according to the OSU Registrar, dropped out of classes shortly after, where he returned to live at home in Menlo Park, Calif., until the beginning of the trial.
While Sako had also been charged with 1st and 2nd degree kidnapping, his defense attorney successfully argued to presiding judge Janet Holcomb to dismiss those charges. However, according to Stringer, those charges, if they had stuck, would have resulted in the same 100 month sentence for Sako. Coffee Creek Correctional Facility is Sako;s next stop, where he will be evaluated before Oregon prison officials decide what medium or high security prison he'll be spending his time at.
Stringer hoped that the victims of other sexual assaults are encouraged to report their perpetrators, particulary on campus.
"I believe that sexual assault at OSU is highly underreported. The victim did everything correct in her situation and I hope that others can learn from her example by coming forward."
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Oregon man faces murder charges after girlfriend dies in alleged Oregon arson
McMINNVILLE, Ore. (AP) - A McMinnville man faces new charges after his girlfriend died Monday from burns suffered in a house fire he is accused of setting last month.
Larry Warren Barnard was facing attempted aggravated murder and attempted murder charges in addition to arson charges.
Yamhill County District Attorney Brad Berry says the case will be resubmitted to a grand jury for an amended indictment to charge Barnard with murder in the death of Krista Wiegel.
The 38-year-old Wiegel died Monday morning at Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland.
Investigators say the 38-year-old Barnard had quit taking medication for bipolar disorder and had gone on a drinking binge when the house was set on fire July 2.
Larry Warren Barnard was facing attempted aggravated murder and attempted murder charges in addition to arson charges.
Yamhill County District Attorney Brad Berry says the case will be resubmitted to a grand jury for an amended indictment to charge Barnard with murder in the death of Krista Wiegel.
The 38-year-old Wiegel died Monday morning at Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland.
Investigators say the 38-year-old Barnard had quit taking medication for bipolar disorder and had gone on a drinking binge when the house was set on fire July 2.
Oregon man faces murder charges after girlfriend dies in alleged Oregon arson
McMINNVILLE, Ore. (AP) - A McMinnville man faces new charges after his girlfriend died Monday from burns suffered in a house fire he is accused of setting last month.
Larry Warren Barnard was facing attempted aggravated murder and attempted murder charges in addition to arson charges.
Yamhill County District Attorney Brad Berry says the case will be resubmitted to a grand jury for an amended indictment to charge Barnard with murder in the death of Krista Wiegel.
The 38-year-old Wiegel died Monday morning at Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland.
Investigators say the 38-year-old Barnard had quit taking medication for bipolar disorder and had gone on a drinking binge when the house was set on fire July 2.
Larry Warren Barnard was facing attempted aggravated murder and attempted murder charges in addition to arson charges.
Yamhill County District Attorney Brad Berry says the case will be resubmitted to a grand jury for an amended indictment to charge Barnard with murder in the death of Krista Wiegel.
The 38-year-old Wiegel died Monday morning at Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland.
Investigators say the 38-year-old Barnard had quit taking medication for bipolar disorder and had gone on a drinking binge when the house was set on fire July 2.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Caregiver faces mandatory minimum of 25 years after rape, sodomy convictions
A former caregiver of a woman who was raped by him faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison after being convicted of the rape and sodomy of a brain injured 70 year old woman. The woman suffered injuries in a car crash in her 20s which killed her husband and led her parents to take care of their two kids, one of which was born after the crash.
John Alvin Taylor, 59, was convicted of 3 counts each of 1st degree rape and 1st degree sodomy by Marion County Circuit Judge Susan Tripp after a bench trial whose closing arguments ended last June.
The woman, now 73, was sexually assaulted in September 2005 in the McKillop Residence on the campus of Marian Estates, an assisted-care facility in Sublimity where Taylor worked.
During the trial, the woman testified that she did not want to have sex with Taylor, but that he came into her room several times.
The abuse was reported after another caregiver found a condom wrapper in the woman's apartment.
Taylor worked for the facility from June 2004 to September 2005, and his responsibilities included changing beds, washing laundry, serving food and cleaning, according to one of his statements.
Taylor’s attorney objected to testimony about the woman’s dimished capacity, but Judge Tripp allowed the evaluation.
Deputy District Attorney Matt Kemmy, who prosecuted the case, said that “it was important to convict this guy, to not only to get him out of the caretaking business but to put him in prison… I don't think she was able to grasp how serious it was, what he was subjecting her to… Given her mental capabilities, she would have been prey to the will of the defendant," Tripp wrote in her ruling.
John Alvin Taylor, 59, was convicted of 3 counts each of 1st degree rape and 1st degree sodomy by Marion County Circuit Judge Susan Tripp after a bench trial whose closing arguments ended last June.
The woman, now 73, was sexually assaulted in September 2005 in the McKillop Residence on the campus of Marian Estates, an assisted-care facility in Sublimity where Taylor worked.
During the trial, the woman testified that she did not want to have sex with Taylor, but that he came into her room several times.
The abuse was reported after another caregiver found a condom wrapper in the woman's apartment.
Taylor worked for the facility from June 2004 to September 2005, and his responsibilities included changing beds, washing laundry, serving food and cleaning, according to one of his statements.
Taylor’s attorney objected to testimony about the woman’s dimished capacity, but Judge Tripp allowed the evaluation.
Deputy District Attorney Matt Kemmy, who prosecuted the case, said that “it was important to convict this guy, to not only to get him out of the caretaking business but to put him in prison… I don't think she was able to grasp how serious it was, what he was subjecting her to… Given her mental capabilities, she would have been prey to the will of the defendant," Tripp wrote in her ruling.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Serial rapist, kidnapper sentenced to 30 years with 25 to serve
Washington County, OR Judge Gayle A. Nachtigal sentenced "serial, sadistic" sex offender James Worley, 47, to 30 years in prison July 10. Under Oregon's dangerous offender law, Worley must serve almost 25 years of that sentence before being considered for parole. In March, a jury found him guilty of 1st degree kidnapping and attempted 1st degree rape and sexual assault, among other charges. Jurors acquitted Worley of attempted 1st degree sodomy and deadlocked on an attempted murder charge.
Worley has a lengthy criminal record for attacking women, having served a total of 25 years in prison for various incidents. In 1983, he raped and kidnapped an Oklahoma woman, and in 1998, he was convicted of harassing a Bend, OR woman. Worley was on post-prison supervision for robbing and kidnapping a Clackamas County woman at the time of the latest crime.
During the trial, [Heather]Struznik riveted the courtroom with harrowing testimony about the night of Oct. 20, 2007. Approaching Struznik outside a Gaston bar, Worley said he was about out of gas and didn't know the area. She said she'd lead him into Forest Grove, but he pulled over on Oregon 47, near the turnoff to Hagg Lake.
Thinking he had run out of gas, Struznik stopped. Worley jumped into her Jeep and punched her in the head three times. During a savage struggle, a profanity-spewing Worley slammed her head into the dash, pulled her face, yanked at her belt and dragged her outside. She scratched, kicked and bit her attacker, gripping the door frame until her hands bled.
On Friday, Struznik, 37, told a smiling Worley that she wasn't his victim and she no longer was afraid of the dark or going out alone. She said she still has a bulging disc in her neck, healing bones in her face and fingers so sore she can't even open a jar.
"Every time it happens, I think 'You got beat by a girl. You picked the wrong girl.' "
Frank P. Colistro, a forensic psychologist for Association of Threat Assessment Professionals, said that community safety was the only consideration and that "this type of individual we can't fix." Colistro, a Portland man, also said that Worley, a misogynist who thinks women look down on him, attacks them from nowhere to inflict terror, humiliation, and sadistic power over them.
Worley has a lengthy criminal record for attacking women, having served a total of 25 years in prison for various incidents. In 1983, he raped and kidnapped an Oklahoma woman, and in 1998, he was convicted of harassing a Bend, OR woman. Worley was on post-prison supervision for robbing and kidnapping a Clackamas County woman at the time of the latest crime.
During the trial, [Heather]Struznik riveted the courtroom with harrowing testimony about the night of Oct. 20, 2007. Approaching Struznik outside a Gaston bar, Worley said he was about out of gas and didn't know the area. She said she'd lead him into Forest Grove, but he pulled over on Oregon 47, near the turnoff to Hagg Lake.
Thinking he had run out of gas, Struznik stopped. Worley jumped into her Jeep and punched her in the head three times. During a savage struggle, a profanity-spewing Worley slammed her head into the dash, pulled her face, yanked at her belt and dragged her outside. She scratched, kicked and bit her attacker, gripping the door frame until her hands bled.
On Friday, Struznik, 37, told a smiling Worley that she wasn't his victim and she no longer was afraid of the dark or going out alone. She said she still has a bulging disc in her neck, healing bones in her face and fingers so sore she can't even open a jar.
"Every time it happens, I think 'You got beat by a girl. You picked the wrong girl.' "
Frank P. Colistro, a forensic psychologist for Association of Threat Assessment Professionals, said that community safety was the only consideration and that "this type of individual we can't fix." Colistro, a Portland man, also said that Worley, a misogynist who thinks women look down on him, attacks them from nowhere to inflict terror, humiliation, and sadistic power over them.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Pastor sentenced to 3 years in prison for sexually abusing women
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
PORTLAND -- A pastor who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting five women in his Portland church was sentenced to three years in prison.
Sergio Alvarizares, 39, the former co-pastor of Casa del Padre, a nondenominational Spanish-speaking church, had originally been charged with raping one woman, attempting to rape two others and sexually abusing two others. Last month, he pleaded guilty to attempted rape and third-degree sexual abuse. Alvarizares and his wife, who have three sons, had been co-pastors of the church for several years.
The crimes became public last fall when a woman interrupted a Sunday service to accuse Alvarizares of making unwanted sexual advances. Other women then stood up to confront Alvarizares. As the crowd grew unruly, five people reportedly tried to get onto the pulpit. Several people dialed 9-1-1 and police arrived to restore order.
The pastor was arrested in mid-October at his Ridgefield, Wash., home.
During Wednesday's hearing in a Multnomah County court, Deputy District Attorney Christine Mascal thanked the women for coming forward with their stories despite repercussions.
"They were driven away from the congregation ... by supporters of the defendant," Mascal said. "And in spite of that, they are here today."
The terms of the plea agreement required Alvarizares to stand up in court Wednesday and apologize. "Do I have to?" he asked Judge Eric Bergstrom. "Yes," the judge replied.
In a voice lacking emotion, Alvarizares read a few sentences from an apology letter, saying in part that he was "sincerely sorry for all the sexual contact."
One of the victims spoke, telling Alvarizares that he abused her trust. She also spoke of the humiliation of coming forward.
"I was publicly pointed at, labeled and my personal things were aired as if they were public," she said.
PORTLAND -- A pastor who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting five women in his Portland church was sentenced to three years in prison.
Sergio Alvarizares, 39, the former co-pastor of Casa del Padre, a nondenominational Spanish-speaking church, had originally been charged with raping one woman, attempting to rape two others and sexually abusing two others. Last month, he pleaded guilty to attempted rape and third-degree sexual abuse. Alvarizares and his wife, who have three sons, had been co-pastors of the church for several years.
The crimes became public last fall when a woman interrupted a Sunday service to accuse Alvarizares of making unwanted sexual advances. Other women then stood up to confront Alvarizares. As the crowd grew unruly, five people reportedly tried to get onto the pulpit. Several people dialed 9-1-1 and police arrived to restore order.
The pastor was arrested in mid-October at his Ridgefield, Wash., home.
During Wednesday's hearing in a Multnomah County court, Deputy District Attorney Christine Mascal thanked the women for coming forward with their stories despite repercussions.
"They were driven away from the congregation ... by supporters of the defendant," Mascal said. "And in spite of that, they are here today."
The terms of the plea agreement required Alvarizares to stand up in court Wednesday and apologize. "Do I have to?" he asked Judge Eric Bergstrom. "Yes," the judge replied.
In a voice lacking emotion, Alvarizares read a few sentences from an apology letter, saying in part that he was "sincerely sorry for all the sexual contact."
One of the victims spoke, telling Alvarizares that he abused her trust. She also spoke of the humiliation of coming forward.
"I was publicly pointed at, labeled and my personal things were aired as if they were public," she said.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Semen sex abuser sentenced to 30 days in jail, eviction from apartment complex
A man convicted of ejaculating on his (ex-) friend's sleeping wife was sentenced to 30 days in jail and ordered to move out of his apartment complex by Judge Fred Averas because that's where he victimized her. Adam Serafin, 26, was the first person to be convicted of 3rd degree sex abuse in Oregon without some type of skin to skin contact.
According to the judge's written ruling, Serafin slept over his friend's Dallas apartment after the two got drunk while watching a football game Dec. 3.
Serafin, his friend and the friend's wife all slept in the living room. The friend slept on a couch, while his wife and Serafin slept on recliners. A few hours later, the woman awoke to a wet feeling on her exposed leg. She looked up and saw Serafin at the foot of her recliner. Serafin zipped his pants and fled into the kitchen when the woman screamed.
Because of the husband's drunkenness, the victim had trouble waking him up, but the husband kicked Serafin out of their apartment and called Dallas police.
In cases of this type, the suspect usually is charged with only harassment or disorderly conduct, both of which are non-sexual offenses, Newton-Tapia said. But in arguments earlier this month, Newton-Tapia told Avera that Oregon law defines spitting on someone as offensive physical contact, and argued that semen should be considered an extension of the body.
According to the judge's written ruling, Serafin slept over his friend's Dallas apartment after the two got drunk while watching a football game Dec. 3.
Serafin, his friend and the friend's wife all slept in the living room. The friend slept on a couch, while his wife and Serafin slept on recliners. A few hours later, the woman awoke to a wet feeling on her exposed leg. She looked up and saw Serafin at the foot of her recliner. Serafin zipped his pants and fled into the kitchen when the woman screamed.
Because of the husband's drunkenness, the victim had trouble waking him up, but the husband kicked Serafin out of their apartment and called Dallas police.
In cases of this type, the suspect usually is charged with only harassment or disorderly conduct, both of which are non-sexual offenses, Newton-Tapia said. But in arguments earlier this month, Newton-Tapia told Avera that Oregon law defines spitting on someone as offensive physical contact, and argued that semen should be considered an extension of the body.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Oregon state taskforce introduces ad campaign against sexual assault
A new advertising campaign aimed at focusing a harsh spotlight on perpetrators is debuting in Oregon. A task force against sexual assault, led by Attorney General Hardy Myers is behind the effort.
Sexual assault is a crime and a choice," said Myers, who created the task force in 1999. "These crimes historically have been referred to as 'nuisance' or 'petty' crimes but are now regarded as crimes that denote an escalating pattern of criminal sexual behavior."
According to a U.S. Department of Justice study done more than a decade ago, nearly nine of 10 such crimes involve offenders who knew their victims as family members, intimate partners or acquaintances.
"This confronts the misperception that rape and sexual assault are crimes committed by strangers," Myers said.
This follows up an Oregon report that states that a third of women between 20 and 55 reported either attempted or completed sexual assaults, including threats. For every assault raported to police or others, 6 or 7 more went unreported.
"Focusing on the victim diverts our attention from the individual who is actually responsible and chooses to commit a sexual assault," said Heather Huhtanen, the director of programs for the task force.
"If we want to address sexual assault through justice for victims, accountability for offenders and safety for the broader community, we must shift our focus to the behaviors, actions and choices of those who choose to offend. This shift must include a willingness to look at even those individuals who we may be likely to trust automatically."
Female farmworkers are especially vulnerable targets, said Laura Mahr, a lawyer and the coordinator of the Project Against Workplace Sexual Harassment for the Oregon Law Center.
Jayne Downing is the executive director of the Mid-Valley Women's Crisis Service, which has provided assistance to victims of sexual assault for 35 years.
"It is so traumatic to them to have people in our community ask: Where did you go? What were you doing? How were you dressed?" Downing said. "It is exciting to be part of being able to ask not what survivors are doing or not doing, but instead why we are not looking at those who have made the choice to do this."
With child molesters, the focus is on the perp, not the victim. Hopefully, those who rape adults will have the same harsh spotlight turned on them.
Sexual assault is a crime and a choice," said Myers, who created the task force in 1999. "These crimes historically have been referred to as 'nuisance' or 'petty' crimes but are now regarded as crimes that denote an escalating pattern of criminal sexual behavior."
According to a U.S. Department of Justice study done more than a decade ago, nearly nine of 10 such crimes involve offenders who knew their victims as family members, intimate partners or acquaintances.
"This confronts the misperception that rape and sexual assault are crimes committed by strangers," Myers said.
This follows up an Oregon report that states that a third of women between 20 and 55 reported either attempted or completed sexual assaults, including threats. For every assault raported to police or others, 6 or 7 more went unreported.
"Focusing on the victim diverts our attention from the individual who is actually responsible and chooses to commit a sexual assault," said Heather Huhtanen, the director of programs for the task force.
"If we want to address sexual assault through justice for victims, accountability for offenders and safety for the broader community, we must shift our focus to the behaviors, actions and choices of those who choose to offend. This shift must include a willingness to look at even those individuals who we may be likely to trust automatically."
Female farmworkers are especially vulnerable targets, said Laura Mahr, a lawyer and the coordinator of the Project Against Workplace Sexual Harassment for the Oregon Law Center.
Jayne Downing is the executive director of the Mid-Valley Women's Crisis Service, which has provided assistance to victims of sexual assault for 35 years.
"It is so traumatic to them to have people in our community ask: Where did you go? What were you doing? How were you dressed?" Downing said. "It is exciting to be part of being able to ask not what survivors are doing or not doing, but instead why we are not looking at those who have made the choice to do this."
With child molesters, the focus is on the perp, not the victim. Hopefully, those who rape adults will have the same harsh spotlight turned on them.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Man who raped woman twice will be going away for 16 years
A man who raped a woman at knifepoint twice within a two month timeframe was sentenced to 190 months in prison. Medford, OR police are happy that the rapist, Jeffrey Edward Kuehner, will be going away.
"We are glad to be done with Mr. Kuehner that's for sure," Medford police Deputy Chief Tim George said. "And we hope and wish for the best for the victim in this case."
Kuehner raped the woman in her home at knifepoint last March. He posted bond, was released May 19, and returned to her home o sexually attack her again June 7.
The woman managed to flee her home with her two children and call the police after the second attack on June 7. Kuehner held Medford officers at bay by threatening to kill himself with the knife. Eventually, he stabbed himself in the throat and was rushed to the hospital and treated for his injuries.
Jackson County Deputy District Attorney Rachel Bridges reached an agreement with defense officials to ensure Kuehner will spend the next 190 months behind bars.
Kuehner pleaded guilty to charges of first-degree rape, first-degree kidnapping and first-degree burglary.
The rape charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 100 months' prison time under Oregon law. Kidnapping carries a mandatory 90-month sentence. The burglary charge will run concurrent with the above sentences, Bridges said.
When Kuhner is released from prison, provided he isn't shanked or served with "prison justice," he will have to register as a sex offender for life.
"We are glad to be done with Mr. Kuehner that's for sure," Medford police Deputy Chief Tim George said. "And we hope and wish for the best for the victim in this case."
Kuehner raped the woman in her home at knifepoint last March. He posted bond, was released May 19, and returned to her home o sexually attack her again June 7.
The woman managed to flee her home with her two children and call the police after the second attack on June 7. Kuehner held Medford officers at bay by threatening to kill himself with the knife. Eventually, he stabbed himself in the throat and was rushed to the hospital and treated for his injuries.
Jackson County Deputy District Attorney Rachel Bridges reached an agreement with defense officials to ensure Kuehner will spend the next 190 months behind bars.
Kuehner pleaded guilty to charges of first-degree rape, first-degree kidnapping and first-degree burglary.
The rape charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 100 months' prison time under Oregon law. Kidnapping carries a mandatory 90-month sentence. The burglary charge will run concurrent with the above sentences, Bridges said.
When Kuhner is released from prison, provided he isn't shanked or served with "prison justice," he will have to register as a sex offender for life.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Oregon state student charged in rape of fellow student
Melchior Avila, a 28 year old pre-mechanical engineering student at Oregon State University, is on trial for the alleged rape and strangulation of a fellow OSU student last December 29th. He was arrested New Year's Eve and charged with her rape and strangulation. The facts leading up to the alleged rape are not in dispute.
The woman testified that she had driven to Albany from her home in Springfield to spend time with her best friend on Dec. 28. After she drank five martinis at her female friend’s house, the two decided to drive to the Cantina, a bar in Corvallis, at around 10 p.m.
Avila was an acquaintance from school, where they had a gym class together two years ago, she said. He saw her at the Cantina around 11 p.m. and came to sit with the woman and her friend, where they both drank more alcohol.The two women decided to go to El Presidente in Corvallis around midnight and they took Avila along after he asked to come.
They stayed for a few more drinks and decided to leave just before 2 a.m., when Avila asked for a ride home.The woman’s friend drove them to Avila’s Southtown apartment complex. The woman said she knew she was drunk and was feeling sick by the time they arrived. She said she didn’t want to get sick in her friend’s car and Avila offered to let her sleep on his couch.The details at that point have two versions.
The two versions of the story differ after this point. Avila's attorney, stated that the principals were having consensual sex, and the woman told him to stop, which he did. The she started trashing his apartment.
The woman's story was that was sick, woke to go to the bathroom, then returned to sleep. Avila was on top of her when she woke up the second time. She fought him off, and he choked and held her down. She waited 2 days to come forward because “I was embarrassed and scared. I thought no one would believe me because I was so intoxicated.”
The woman testified that she had driven to Albany from her home in Springfield to spend time with her best friend on Dec. 28. After she drank five martinis at her female friend’s house, the two decided to drive to the Cantina, a bar in Corvallis, at around 10 p.m.
Avila was an acquaintance from school, where they had a gym class together two years ago, she said. He saw her at the Cantina around 11 p.m. and came to sit with the woman and her friend, where they both drank more alcohol.The two women decided to go to El Presidente in Corvallis around midnight and they took Avila along after he asked to come.
They stayed for a few more drinks and decided to leave just before 2 a.m., when Avila asked for a ride home.The woman’s friend drove them to Avila’s Southtown apartment complex. The woman said she knew she was drunk and was feeling sick by the time they arrived. She said she didn’t want to get sick in her friend’s car and Avila offered to let her sleep on his couch.The details at that point have two versions.
The two versions of the story differ after this point. Avila's attorney, stated that the principals were having consensual sex, and the woman told him to stop, which he did. The she started trashing his apartment.
The woman's story was that was sick, woke to go to the bathroom, then returned to sleep. Avila was on top of her when she woke up the second time. She fought him off, and he choked and held her down. She waited 2 days to come forward because “I was embarrassed and scared. I thought no one would believe me because I was so intoxicated.”
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Sex offender burglar charged with touching, stealing garments from women
A convicted burglar with a history of breaking into women's homes and stealing their personal belongings has been caught doing so again. Bruce A. Sitton, 56, was charges in a string of burglaries between August 25 and October 23 where women in their late teens to early 20s were sexually touched before Sitton stole personal items.
According to the Corvallis Gazette-Times article, "Sex Offender Arrested For Burglaries,"
“He has a history of going to college towns with young women, stalking them and entering their homes,” said Lt. Tim Brewer of the Corvallis Police Department. “He would watch and touch (the victims). If they woke up, he would run out.”
Sitton was charged with the burglaries and assaults while in jail for a parole violation. Police arrested him while he was in jail, but did not disclose it until a week later due to further investigation.
More from the Corvallis Gazette-Times article:
After Sitton was arrested, detectives obtained a warrant to search his home at 1117 S.E. Queen Ave. in Albany. Police discovered women’s undergarments, a hand-woven purse and other personal items in Sitton’s home that victims of the Corvallis burglaries identified as their property, Brewer said.
Sitton was convicted in Polk County in 2000 and in Benton County in 2001 for a series of burglaries in which he attempted to sexually assault some of his victims, Brewer said. He served five years in prison for those convictions. In 1998, Sitton was convicted of burglary and rape in Josephine County, but served no prison time.
Brewer said that what occurred in the Corvallis burglaries this summer and fall matched the manner in which Sitton was known to break into homes.
“We had our eye on him for the burglaries because they matched his M.O. and we knew he had been released from prison in 2006,” Brewer said.
According to the Corvallis Gazette-Times article, "Sex Offender Arrested For Burglaries,"
“He has a history of going to college towns with young women, stalking them and entering their homes,” said Lt. Tim Brewer of the Corvallis Police Department. “He would watch and touch (the victims). If they woke up, he would run out.”
Sitton was charged with the burglaries and assaults while in jail for a parole violation. Police arrested him while he was in jail, but did not disclose it until a week later due to further investigation.
More from the Corvallis Gazette-Times article:
After Sitton was arrested, detectives obtained a warrant to search his home at 1117 S.E. Queen Ave. in Albany. Police discovered women’s undergarments, a hand-woven purse and other personal items in Sitton’s home that victims of the Corvallis burglaries identified as their property, Brewer said.
Sitton was convicted in Polk County in 2000 and in Benton County in 2001 for a series of burglaries in which he attempted to sexually assault some of his victims, Brewer said. He served five years in prison for those convictions. In 1998, Sitton was convicted of burglary and rape in Josephine County, but served no prison time.
Brewer said that what occurred in the Corvallis burglaries this summer and fall matched the manner in which Sitton was known to break into homes.
“We had our eye on him for the burglaries because they matched his M.O. and we knew he had been released from prison in 2006,” Brewer said.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
2 women, both 19, assaulted at party
Yet another young man is charged with sexual assault after allegedly getting two 19 year old victims drunk at a party, then raping them. Both victims were allegedly assaulted at a party in Corvallis, Oregon September 17th. Jason Klontz, 21, of Redmond, was charged with two counts of 1st degree rape and unlawful sexual penetration, both Class A felonies. Klontz was also charged with two counts of sexual abuse, a Class B felony, and furnishing alcohol to minors, a Class A misdemeanor.
According to the police affidavit, three other women reported similar encounters with Klontz in recent years, with a similar M.O. Judge David Conell set bail for Klontz at $1 million. His next court appearance is scheduled for Monday.
Man faces rape charges after parties
According to the police affidavit, three other women reported similar encounters with Klontz in recent years, with a similar M.O. Judge David Conell set bail for Klontz at $1 million. His next court appearance is scheduled for Monday.
Man faces rape charges after parties
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