David Francis Wentz, 73, will spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of first-degree sexual abuse, a sentence prosecutors say was driven by Oregon's tough repeat-offender rules for felony sex crimes.
Wentz entered the guilty plea in Marion County Circuit Court and was sentenced on June 16 to a true-life term. Prosecutors described the case as a classic "third-strike" sex-offender prosecution, which under state law triggers a presumptive life sentence without the possibility of release or parole, as reported by KOIN.
Investigation and Allegations
The case began after a child who had been volunteering with local veterans disclosed abuse that Salem police say occurred in spring 2025. According to prosecutors, Wentz met the child at a Veterans of Foreign Wars post and had been trusted by the family to babysit and assist financially. They said he had already been convicted twice of sex offenses, a history they argued showed what they called "insidious manipulation."
"We commend the victim for the tremendous courage it took to come forward and disclose the abuse," prosecutor Brendan Murphy said, according to KOIN.
How Oregon's Repeat-Sex-Offender Statute Works
Under Oregon law, the presumptive sentence for a felony sex crime is life imprisonment without the possibility of release or parole if the defendant has been sentenced for felony sex crimes at least two times before the current case. That standard is set out in ORS 137.719, which allows a court to impose a different sentence only if the judge makes formal findings of substantial and compelling reasons to depart from the presumptive term.
What Victims Can Access
The Marion County District Attorney’s Victim Assistance program offers safety planning, court accompaniment, help applying for crime victim compensation and other support services for people affected by sexual abuse. For assistance, call (503) 588-5253 or visit the office's resources page at Marion County District Attorney's Victim Assistance.
