New Sentence for Redmond Church Member in Child Molestation Case
A King County Superior Court judge imposed an additional 51 months in prison on a Redmond man for sexually abusing multiple children within his Latter-day Saint congregation, bringing his total prison term to over 13 years.
Judge Samuel Chung issued the new sentence on March 6, 2026, for first-degree child molestation. The additional time will run after his existing 98-month indeterminate sentence for three earlier convictions of the same charge. A related count of first-degree rape of a child was dropped as part of the latest ruling.
The abuse occurred during Darrell’s years as an active member of the Hartman Park Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Redmond, spanning from 2016 through 2022. Prosecutors described how he leveraged his standing in the congregation to build trust with families and gain access to young boys, often isolating them for sexual contact.
Court and police records outline specific tactics: Darrell would visit victims’ homes unannounced to assist with household tasks, and he regularly took photographs of children during church events—some of which he shared with parents while others remained private. One mother recounted how Darrell often invited children to sit on his lap during services and activities.
Earlier warnings about his conduct had gone unheeded for years. Congregation members had voiced concerns about his close interactions with youth and his习惯 of photographing children without parental consent. A December 2022 letter from his former bishop, Bradly J. Cahoon, confirmed leadership had been monitoring the situation for over a decade.
Cahoon, who led the ward for six years, noted that concerns about Darrell’s “too friendly” approach to children surfaced roughly 12 years prior to the letter. At that time, Darrell served in the primary organization’s teaching role, and following feedback, he was reassigned away from youth ministry. Cahoon also recounted a direct conversation with Darrell about the potential impressions of a single man maintaining close bonds with children.
Despite this awareness, Darrell remained visible in ward activities. A notable 2020 incident involved two witnesses observing him physically fondling a 6-year-old boy during a chapel service. According to police notes, Cahoon regarded Darrell as introverted and socially more at ease with children than adults.
Cahoon’s letter also highlighted Darrell’s involvement in church photography, including festive events such as Christmas sessions where he posed with children as Santa Claus.
Darrell was initially sentenced in September 2024. In January 2025, another victim’s family shared details of abuse that occurred over a four-year span beginning in mid-2017. During earlier interviews with investigators, Darrell acknowledged molesting between six and eight children but declined to identify the individuals involved.
The court issued an exceptional sentence for this latest child molestation conviction, which carried a standard sentencing range of 149 to 198 months. Prosecutors and the defense jointly recommended a 51-month downward departure, citing the defendant's ongoing consecutive sentence and his agreement to stipulate to the terms.
Upon his eventual release, the defendant is ordered to have no contact with minors unsupervised, no contact with his victims, and will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.