An 84-year-old former in-home caregiver in Port Angeles has been sentenced to prison for crimes against a vulnerable adult he was hired to assist.
Sentencing Details
On October 15, Clallam County Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Stanley handed down a sentence of one year and one day for third-degree rape and 12 months for second-degree assault. The terms will run concurrently. The defendant will also serve three years of community custody under Department of Corrections supervision.
The sentence followed a recommendation agreed to by the prosecution and the defense.
Plea and Investigation
The defendant entered an Alford plea on September 3. In his signed statement, he declined to admit guilt but acknowledged a high probability of conviction at trial and expressed a desire to accept the state's offer.
According to a police account included in the presentence report, the investigation began on June 27, 2024, when a victim visited the Port Angeles Police Department with a case manager to report a sexual assault. The victim stated that a stroke had left him dependent on assistance for household tasks, shopping, and transportation.
The victim described unwanted sexual contact during caregiving visits and told police he attempted to move away during one encounter. Investigators reviewed caregiving schedules and surveillance footage that showed the caregiver entering the apartment in June 2024. The victim also underwent a sexual assault examination at Olympic Medical Center.
Police obtained a warrant to collect the caregiver's DNA. According to the report, Washington State Patrol laboratory testing provided very strong support indicating he contributed to a DNA profile recovered from the victim's examination kit.
Statements and Conditions
The caregiver initially denied sexual activity, telling police he had provided massages. In a later email to investigators, he acknowledged sexual contact but claimed it was consensual, according to the report. The victim told investigators he did not consent.
The presentence report noted that sex-offender treatment could be complicated if the defendant continued to view the encounters as consensual. The Department of Corrections supported the agreed sentence, noting that it fell within the standard sentencing range.
At sentencing, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Seth Corley and defense attorney John Hayden asked Judge Stanley to follow the agreement. The victim addressed the court, as did the defendant.
The judgment requires the defendant to obtain a sex-offender evaluation and follow recommended treatment, comply with sex-offender registration requirements, and surrender his caretaker credentials to the state Department of Health.
His community custody conditions prohibit him from working or volunteering to care for unrelated dependent people.
Judge Stanley also prohibited contact with the victim through Oct. 15, 2036. Restitution remains to be determined.