HILLSBORO, Ore.- On September 6, 2019, a Washington County jury found Alvaro Noe Mendoza- Valencia, age 44, guilty of two counts of first-degree rape, three counts of second-degree rape, two counts of using a child in display of sexually explicit conduct, first-degree sodomy, second-degree sodomy, four counts of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, one count of second-degree unlawful sexual penetration, and four counts of first-degree sex abuse. On September 25, 2019, Judge Andrew Erwin sentenced the defendant to 75 years in prison. The convictions related to the defendant’s ongoing sexual abuse of three different minor females. The case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Andy Pulver.

In 2016 one of the victims reported Mr. Mendoza-Valencia’s sexual abuse to a family member. That family member later reported this disclosure to a victim advocate at an unrelated grand jury proceeding. The victim advocate notified police immediately, prompting an investigation by the Hillsboro Police Department.

Two of the victims were referred to CARES Northwest where they made detailed disclosures of abuse. A third victim came forward to report additional abuse once she learned of Mr. Mendoza-Valencia’s arrest.

The CARES Northwest forensic interviews revealed that two of the victims were first subjected to sexual abuse when they were young children. The abuse spanned a number of years and often took place in the presence of another victim. The third victim disclosed sexual abuse that predated that of the other two victims. She reported that Mr. Mendoza-Valencia’s abuse resumed once he no longer had access to the other two victims. All of the victims described intimidation tactics made by Mr. Mendoza-Valencia in which he threatened violence against the victims or their family members if they ever disclosed the abuse.

“This is one of the most disturbing cases of child abuse I have ever prosecuted,” Mr. Pulver said of the trial against Mr. Mendoza-Valencia. “We would like to thank the victims for coming forward so that we were able to hold Mr. Mendoza-Valencia accountable and protect future potential victims from him.”

Mr. Mendoza-Valencia was extremely uncooperative during the course of his trial and refused to participate in the court proceedings. After filing written complaints resulting in the removal of his first court-appointed attorney, Mr. Mendoza-Valencia made repeated efforts to remove his second attorney in the weeks approaching trial. Despite two previous denials by two different judges, Mr. Mendoza-Valencia made a third attempt to remove his attorney in front of the trial court, Judge Erwin. When the court denied his request, Mr. Mendoza-Valencia became verbally combative and informed Judge Erwin that he refused to abide by court rules or participate in his own defense until he was granted a new lawyer.

Judge Erwin, the Washington County District Attorney’s Office, and Mr. Mendoza-Valencia’s attorney made every attempt to facilitate his meaningful participation in his trial. This included ongoing communications with Mr. Mendoza-Valencia about his constitutional rights and repeated invitations for him to return to the courtroom. When a remote location was set up to allow Mr. Mendoza-Valencia to communicate with his attorney in writing and view the proceedings over live video transmission, he threatened physical resistance to any effort by Washington County Jail deputies to move him there.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge Hillsboro Police Detective Cheryl Banks for her excellent work on this case. We would also like to commend Washington County Jail deputies for their handling of this challenging case.
 

HILLSBORO, Ore.- On August 21, 2019, Washington County Judge Charles Bailey found James Kee Taik Park, age 54, guilty of first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy and five counts of first-degree sex abuse. The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Jason Weiner. Mr. Park was subsequently sentenced to 375 months in prison during a sentencing hearing on September 12, 2019.

In May of 2016, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office began investigating Mr. Park after a family member alerted authorities to possible abuse. A young child known to Mr. Park made disclosures of abuse to a babysitter and a family member, prompting the investigation. During this same time frame, a second child, also known to Mr. Park, reported similar abuse.

The children were then taken to CARES Northwest where forensic interviews were conducted. They told investigators that Mr. Park sexually abused them. The older child disclosed this happened to her multiple times. Mr. Park declined to be interviewed by law enforcement.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the investigative work of Detective Pat Tapley with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. We would also like to thank CARES Northwest for their diligent work on this challenging case.

A sentencing hearing for Mr. Park will be held on September 12, 2019 at 8:30 a.m.

HILLSBORO, Ore.- On August 16, 2019, a Washington County jury found David Scott Houston, age 31, guilty of two counts of first-degree sex abuse. Deputy District Attorney Chris Lewman prosecuted the case against Mr. Houston in Judge Andrew Erwin’s courtroom.

In May of 2018, a report was filed with the Oregon Department of Human Services alerting authorities to possible neglect and sex abuse involving a young child. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office joined the investigation and began interviewing the victim and her family. A safety plan was created, and the juvenile was removed from the home where she was living at the time of the abuse.

The juvenile was interviewed by experts at CARES Northwest where she disclosed Mr. Houston forced her to touch him inappropriately. Mr. Houston admitted to the contact but accused the victim of initiating the encounter. The jury did not find that accounting of events credible.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 29, 2019. Mr. Houston previously posted bail and was allowed to remain out of custody pending sentencing.

HILLSBORO, Ore.- On July 26, 2019, Roger James Bayard pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter, fourth-degree assault with an injury and driving under the influence of intoxicants. He was sentenced to 75 months in prison by Judge Charles Bailey and his driver’s license was suspended for life. Deputy District Attorney Matt Lehman prosecuted the case against Bayard.

On March 30, 2019, Bayard was leaving a business along Southwest Pacific Highway near Sherwood when he pulled into oncoming traffic with no regard for other vehicles on the highway. As Bayard entered the lanes of traffic, a pickup truck traveling southbound on Pacific Highway was forced to swerve several times in an attempt to avoid a collision. Bayard then cut off the truck again, ultimately hitting the back wheels of the vehicle. That collision sent the truck, and its two passengers, into a deep ditch where it rolled over multiple times. The passenger in the truck suffered serious injuries and was deceased when officers and first responders arrived on scene.

When officers found Bayard nearby, he was drinking mouthwash and officers quickly spotted signs of both marijuana and alcohol impairment. Officers then conducted a field sobriety test and documented additional signs of impairment. Investigators found two empty liquor bottles in Bayard’s vehicle and he admitted to drinking alcohol shortly before the crash. They also found marijuana and smoking devices in his vehicle. Bayard had a blood alcohol level of 0.077% nearly three hours after the crash. Officers also discovered Bayard was driving with a suspended driver’s license due to a previous hit-and-run misdemeanor.

Ross Day, the attorney for the surviving victim, spoke on behalf of his client.

“We really appreciate all the hard work that everyone put into this case. My client is happy that it is over and hopefully everyone can move on,” Day said of the outcome of the case.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the Washington County Sheriff’s Office as well as the multi-agency Crash Analysis Reconstruction Team (CART) for their work on this case.

Bayard has been transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to serve his sentence.

HILLSBORO, Ore.- On July 31, 2019, Washington County Judge Charles Bailey found Geoffrey William Germano guilty of seven counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. This case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Andy Pulver.

In April of 2018, detectives with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office were alerted to an internet protocol (IP) address which was flagged as downloading and/or sharing a high number of known child pornography files through peer-to-peer file sharing networks. Investigators determined the activity dated back to March of 2016.

Through further investigation, detectives determined that the downloads were associated with a single installation of peer-to-peer file sharing software. The program was associated with a number of different IP addresses (consistent with a single computer being moved to various locations and using different internet connections to download child pornography). One of the IP addresses used to download child pornography was associated with the Beaverton School District. Germano was working as a teacher at Aloha High School at the time. Another IP address was identified to Germano’s personal address in Hillsboro.

Washington County Sheriff detectives executed a search warrant at Germano’s home. He was interviewed and admitted to downloading child pornography to his personal laptop. Investigators forensically analyzed Germano’s laptop and recovered several child pornography videos. Evidence discovered during the search suggested that Germano downloaded significantly more child pornography files than investigators were able to recover during their analysis. Germano told investigators he frequently deleted the files after downloading them. Germano also admitted that he brought the laptop to school with him but claimed he didn’t intentionally use the school’s WiFi to download the material.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the investigative work by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office on this case as well as the cooperation of the Beaverton School District in pursuing this matter.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 22, 2019 at 8:30 a.m. Germano remains out of custody pending sentencing.

HILLSBORO, Ore.- On August 2, 2019, a Washington County jury found Jeremiah Andrew Libbee guilty of second-degree assault, two counts of third-degree assault, two counts of failure to perform the duties of a driver to injured persons, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, reckless driving and driving with a suspended or revoked license. The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Andrew Freeman in Judge Janelle Wipper’s courtroom.

On February 19, 2019, Libbee was driving with a criminally-revoked driver’s license when he was spotted driving approximately 90 miles per hour down Highway 26 in North Plains. A North Plains Police officer turned on his lights and siren and began to pursue Libbee.

Libbee refused to pull over and increased to speeds between 100 and 120 miles per hour on wet roads through highway traffic as he entered Highway 6 towards Tillamook. Law enforcement deployed a spike strip. Libbee’s excessive speed and reckless driving caused the crash and subsequent injury to his passenger when he attempted to avoid the spike strip at an extremely high rate of speed. He then lost control of the vehicle and slammed into a tree before his car entered Gales Creek.

Deputy District Attorney Freeman proved to the jury that Libbee chose to abandon his badly-injured and trapped passenger in the partially submerged vehicle as he freed himself and fled the scene. Emergency first responders then spent more than an hour working to free the woman from the car. She was taken to an area hospital where she was treated for injuries sustained in the crash.

A sentencing hearing for this case will be held on August 13, 2019 at 8:30 a.m. Libbee will remain in custody at the Washington County Jail until that time.