An investigation into a child sexual assault case in Lewis County has identified a second perpetrator, who now faces first-degree rape of a child and attempted rape of a child charges for allegedly assaulting three children between 2011 and 2017.
The defendant, whose name is being withheld by The Chronicle to protect the identity of the victims, is accused of raping a child under the age of 12 in Mossyrock and assaulting two other victims, who were both under the age of 10 at the time of the incidents. The defendant is 18.
The Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office filed charges against the defendant on March 16 after law enforcement investigating a Salkum man currently facing 16 sexual assault charges for allegedly abusing up to four children and threatening to kill a witness learned that some of the same victims in that case had also been assaulted by the defendant.
The defendant was summoned for his preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court on April 6, where Judge James W. Lawler set bail at $50,000 unsecured — meaning that the defendant remains out of custody and does not have to pay the bail amount unless he breaks his conditions of release — and set a condition that he not go anywhere minors are gathered. Lawler did approve an exception to allow the defendant to interact with the six minors who reportedly live at his current residence under supervision.
The defendant’s next court appearance is an arraignment hearing scheduled for April 8.
