HILLSBORO, Ore.- On August 24, 2021, Washington County Circuit Judge Janelle Wipper sentenced previously convicted sex offender Justin Nathaniel Lugo to life in prison without the possibility of parole. On May 4, 2021, Judge Wipper convicted the defendant of first-degree sexual abuse and third-degree sexual abuse in a bench trial. According to the Oregon criminal code, a defendant is subject to a presumptive life sentence without the possibility of parole on their third sentencing for a felony sex crime. The defendant was also convicted of assaulting a public safety officer while in custody for this case and of fourth-degree assault of a separate victim. Senior Deputy District Attorney Allison Brown prosecuted Mr. Lugo. 

The defendant is a convicted sex offender and has multiple felony sex crime convictions involving minor victims dating back to 2006. On October 26, 2019, he sexually abused a female victim. The victim was asleep when the defendant entered her room and touched her inappropriately. She awoke to the conduct and told him to stop. The defendant claimed to be looking for a phone charger but later admitted to investigators that he did touch the victim as she slept. 

On November 16, 2019, shortly after his arrest on the sex abuse case, the defendant assaulted the victim’s boyfriend after the man confronted him for his sexual abuse of the original victim. 

On January 9, 2020, while in custody at the Washington County Jail, the defendant assaulted a jail deputy. He broke the deputy’s nose and lacerated his lip. He later admitted to the attack. 

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office wishes to commend the female victim for reporting this abuse and for her participation in the defendant’s trial. This office also thanks the Washington County Sheriff’s Office for their work on this case. 

Mr. Lugo will be transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence.