A 47-year-old Winlock man is facing a maximum punishment of life in prison after he was charged with five counts of first-degree child molestation Thursday in Lewis County Superior Court.
Andrew John Simione appeared in Lewis County Superior Court for his preliminary hearing Thursday, when bail was set at $100,000 cash or bond by Judge Paul Strophy. Bail had been previously set at $250,000 in August, but Strophy reduced the amount Thursday, citing no prior criminal offenses and the fact that Simione turned himself into jail.
First-degree child molestation is a Class A felony, which includes a maximum penalty of up to life in prison and a $50,000 fine.
On Jan. 25, Lewis County Deputy Ryan Hauck received a report of a possible child molestation that occurred in Winlock. A woman was reporting that her daughter told her that Simione had been touching her on her breasts and by her vagina and buttocks, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed by the prosecutor.
The victim went to the Youth Advocacy Center for a forensic interview, where she disclosed that Simione “started being mean a couple months ago and started touching me in bad places.” She said Simione would give her massages but would touch her under her underwear. She said he started doing it before bed and also at 5 a.m., and it would allegedly happen on her bunk bed with Simione on the side of it, according to court documents.
The victim said if she told Simione to stop, he would respond with anger, telling her not to tell him what to do. She said she thought it started around November 2024 to around December 2024. She said this was happening almost daily for about three months before she told an adult.
The victim said during an April 15 medical examination that Simione told her not to tell her mother.
She made additional allegations of unwanted touching.
The victim’s mother filed a protection order against Simione in August. The mother wrote that Simione has a history of being “verbally abusive and scary” when he is drinking alcohol, according to court documents, including “screaming and throwing things.” He would also allegedly spank the child “really hard” around the time she was 4 years old, often leaving marks, and would “drink excessively” around her, according to court documents.
Strophy ordered that Simione not have any contact with minors or frequent places where minors congregate, among other standard conditions.
“Given the nature of the allegations, the court does have some concerns for community safety here,” Strophy said. “However, noting he doesn’t have any prior criminal history or similar offenses and the fact that he turned himself in and is taking the proactive (approach) in terms of being able to retain counsel to address the matter, I will reach a reduced bail from the original warrant to $100,000 cash or bond. So certainly not as low as what was requested, but significantly lower than the original amount, and that’s also in consideration that now that he’s before the court, it’s the ability of the court to include a less restrictive alternative here to also ensure compliance and community staking.”
Simione’s arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 9.
