Sept. 10, 2009 CASE UPDATES: September 2009Two Strikes and You're Out Sex Offender: State v. Sollesvik: Defendant Scott Sollesvik was convicted of First Degree Child Rape for sexually abusing the seven-year-old daughter of a family he had befriended. The defendant failed to disclose to the family that he was a registered sex offender who had been convicted of statutory rape in 1990. At trial, the defendant claimed that the victim was coached to accuse him of abuse. To counter this claim, the prosecutor was allowed to present evidence of his prior statutory rape convictions under a new state law. The defendant now faces life in prison under Washington's "Two Sexual Assault Strikes, and You're Out" law. Senior DPA Julie Kays handled the prosecution of this case. Return to the News Gang Gun Violence: State v. Walters: Defendant Johnnie Walters was convicted of First Degree Assault with a Firearm and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm Second Degree for shooting a man with a semi-automatic pistol during a gang dispute and for firing his gun at the unarmed victim nine times as he was fleeing. Two of the main witnesses to this crime refused to testify at trial, but the prosecutor was able to present as evidence a security video that partially captured the shooting. Because the defendant was found to have committed this crime with a firearm and because of his criminal history, he now faces 15 to 19 years in prison. DPA Will Doyle handled the prosecution of this case. Return to the News Attempted Murder, Domestic Violence: State v. Ward: Defendant Daniel Ward has been convicted of Attempted First Degree Murder with a deadly weapon, First Degree Assault with a deadly weapon, and Felony Harassment for threatening to kill his girlfriend during an attack in which he slashed her neck, ears, breast and arm with a box cutter. All three convictions include sentencing enhancements because the jury found that the crimes were committed during the course of domestic violence and included deliberate cruelty. During this same trial, the defendant was also convicted of Second Degree Assault for kicking and breaking his girlfriend's ribs in an earlier attack. Based on the sentencing enhancements found by the jury, the defendant now faces a sentence of 19 years to life in prison. DPA Tomás Gahan handled the prosecution of this case. Return to the News Extreme Child Abuse: State v. Williams: Defendant Leroy Williams has been convicted of two counts of Second Degree Assault of a Child, two counts of Third Degree Assault of a Child, and Criminal Mistreatment for the prolonged physical abuse and neglect of his two young sons, ages six and eight. A neighbor called to report the abuse, and even as police arrived on the scene the defendant continued to physically abuse both boys. Under Washington State Sentencing Guidelines, the defendant faces four to six years in prison, but because the jury found that several aggravating factors were present during the commission of this crime, the PAO plans to seek an exceptional sentence of approximately 15 years from the Court at sentencing. Senior DPA Julie Kays handled the prosecution of this case. Return to the News | 