A 71-year-old Sandy man was sentenced on Tuesday to 25 years in prison following his conviction of sexually abusing a young girl over several years. Gregory Lee Westfall was found guilty of five counts of first-degree sexual abuse and two counts of first-degree sodomy after a trial in June, as KPTV reported.
The Clackamas County District Attorney's Office stated that the now 20-year-old victim began to endure the abuse from Westfall when she was seven years old, occurring five or six times until she turned 12, according to KATU. It wasn't until she reached 17 that she disclosed the abuse to a family member. Denied by a Clackamas County judge on Tuesday, his motion for a new trial was.
Westfall has consistently denied the allegations, suggesting that a family friend might bear the responsibility, KOIN learned from the Clackamas County DA's Office. Under Jessica's Law, which prescribes mandatory minimum sentencing for certain sex crimes against minors, Westfall's 25-year sentence was mandated.
As the case came to a close, the impact of the years of manipulation and harm on the victim's life — told by Westfall herself, bearing a disturbing testament to a childhood marred by unspeakable acts. In the words of the Clackamas County District Attorney's Office, her allegations led to Westfall's trial and sentencing, which was a means to serve justice, albeit delayed. In a statement obtained by KPTV, it was evident that the long journey towards legal resolution, finally came to an end with the imposed sentence.
