HILLSBORO, Ore.- On January 27, 2021, Judge Ted Sims found An Ngoc Le guilty of two counts of first-degree sexual abuse in a bench trial. Deputy District Attorney Jason Weiner prosecuted the case against the defendant.

The defendant was originally convicted on the above charges by a verdict of 10-2 in 2017. The case had to be retried after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Ramos v. Louisiana that non-unanimous verdicts in state trials for serious criminal offenses violated the Sixth Amendment right to a fair trial.

On the same night in 2016, the defendant twice sexually abused a minor known to him. In September of 2016, the victim disclosed the abuse to a school counselor. That counselor immediately notified the Oregon Department of Human Services and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

The victim’s parents confronted the defendant with these allegations in a recorded pretext phone call with help from investigators with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Mr. Le insisted the victim touched him, but he did not touch her.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the bravery of the victim in disclosing this abuse. This office also commends the investigative work of Detective Aaron Massey as well as the work of Corporal Phong Tran, who was essential in facilitating communication between Detective Massey and the victim’s family. Corporal Tran also helped interpret some statements the defendant made during a pretext phone call.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 30, 2021. The defendant will remain in custody until that time.