How Could You? Hall of Shame-James Coonrod UPDATED

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Aloha, Oregon,  63-year-old former  foster parent James Coonrod, 63,who is ALREADY serving time for molesting a foster child (information NOT previously released by the sheriff’s department because they thought this was an isolated incident!!!) was indicted LAST MONTH on new charges involving four new, young female victims. This was just disclosed to the public today.

“A man serving a five-year prison sentence for sex crimes has been accused of sexually abusing four girls while they were staying at his Aloha foster home several years ago, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office reported. And detectives believe there could be more victims.

James Coonrod, 63, who is serving his time at the Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution, was first arrested on two counts of first-degree sexual abuse in October 2010, said Sgt. Bob Ray, a sheriff’s office spokesman. At the time, investigators believed the abuse, which involved another foster child, was an isolated incident, Ray said, and the sheriff’s office did not release information about that arrest.

Coonrod in February 2011 pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted first-degree sexual abuse, according to court records.

Since last August, four additional girls told detectives that Coonrod either raped or sexually abused them at the foster home, Ray said. Between 1994 and 2009, Coonrod and his wife, Ray said, operated a foster home, located in the 17000 block of Southwest Hurrell Lane near Beaverton. During that time, dozens of children reportedly lived at the home.

Ray said investigators believe the abuse occurred at the foster home between 1994 and 2007, when the girls were 4 to 8 years old.

A Washington County grand jury last month indicted Coonrod on three counts of first-degree rape, three counts of first-degree sexual abuse and one count of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, Ray said. Coonrod has not yet been arraigned on the charges. All of the offenses are Measure 11 crimes that have mandatory minimum sentences that range from more than six years to more than eight years in prison.

Anyone with more information is asked to contact the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 503-846-2500.”

 

Former Aloha foster parent serving prison sentence charged with new sex crimes

[The Oregonian 8/20/12 by Rebecca Woolington]

 

REFORM Puzzle Pieces

Update: James plead guilty  on May 7, 2013 to sexually abusing  three more girls. He pled guilty to  one count of first-degree rape and two counts of first-degree sex abuse. Two of the girls were foster children and one was a relative. He will serve an additional 20 years in prison, effectively a life sentence.

“The victims in this case included a relative he raped and sodomized repeatedly starting when she was 4 until she was 16, according to Deputy District Attorney Dustin Staten. The two other victims were foster children, who were both 5 years old when Coonrod had sexual contact with them in the 1990s.

Between 1994 and 2009, Coonrod and his wife operated a foster home on Southwest Hurrell Lane near Beaverton. During those years, nearly 50 children stayed at the home, authorities said. The abuse occurred between 1994 and 2007, according to the sheriff’s office.

In 2009, the certification for the Coonrods’foster home was terminated following complaints, according to the Department of Human Services. Authorities said the closure of the home was unrelated to the first sex-abuse accusations, which were reported a year later. Citing privacy laws, authorities did not disclose information about the complaints that led to the home’s closure.

Coonrod was first arrested on sex abuse charges in October 2010, according to the sheriff’s office. In his prior case, Coonrod admitted to sexually abusing one girl. He pleaded guilty in 2011 to two counts of attempted first-degree sex abuse.

When detectives spoke with Coonrod in prison about the latest victims to come forward, he admitted some of the abuse but denied abusing his own relative, Staten said in court Tuesday. After Coonrod failed a polygraph test regarding that victim, he admitted to having sex with the girl.

In Coonrod’s prison interview, Staten said, Coonrod referred to one of the 5-year-old victims as “a tease.” Staten said Coonrod told investigators he prefers girls between the ages of 6 and 8.

Years have passed since the abuse, but Staten said the victims are still dealing with its “lifelong impact.”

In his plea deal, Coonrod agreed to serve 20 years in addition to the sentence he was already serving. The lengthy sentence still would not make up for the harm Coonrod did, Staten said.

“Twenty years is not sufficient as punishment,” Staten said. “But it is showing the defendant mercy he never showed them.”

At 64, with more than 20 years left to serve on Measure-11 charges, Coonrod will not be eligible for early release.

“One would assume this would amount to a death sentence,” Staten told the judge.

None of the victims attended the hearing Tuesday. Coonrod sounded nonchalant as he answered Judge Suzanne Upton’s yes-or-no questions about his plea agreement and made a brief statement.

“Well, your honor, it’s been several years since these occurrences have taken place,” Coonrod said. “I’m definitely not the type of person I was. I do humbly and truly apologize to all the victims.””

Former Aloha foster dad will serve 20 more years for sex crimes

[Oregon Live 5/7/13 by Emily E. Smith]