A Kalama man faces nine child sex crime charges in an alleged sexual assault involving a 13-year-old, according to ncwlife.com.
The alleged abuse involved a 13-year-old victim, according to ncwlife.com.
The outlet reports that the victim's family had provided Tester with transportation, housing and financial assistance before the allegations surfaced. The case became public after a parent told police about the sexual abuse on October 27.
Nine Charges Filed
The man faces nine charges, the report states. The Washington State Legislature identifies RCW 9.68A.100 as commercial sexual abuse of a minor.
Per the same account, a parent at one point walked in on Tester in his underwear cuddling with the victim in a bed, after which Tester moved out of the home. The victim reportedly said nothing sexual occurred during that particular encounter.
Victim Described Grooming Behavior to Investigators
During a recent interview with authorities, the victim recounted grooming behaviors by Tester, including that he gave the victim vapes and gifts after making out with him, the report states. According to an arrest document cited in the article, the victim said Tester told him, “I feel like I just raped you.”
Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge Michael Evans set Tester's bail at $85,000 last week, issued a no-contact order against him, and appointed a public defender to represent him, the outlet reports. Tester was scheduled to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty on Monday, after a filing deadline, according to the article.
Where the Case Is Being Heard
Cowlitz County Superior Court, located in Kelso, handles serious criminal matters including felonies, according to the court's own schedule page. The court has handled other serious child-abuse cases in the area; in a separate matter, a 34-year-old Longview man was sentenced to more than six years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree felony child assault stemming from two separate incidents, per tdn.com. That case is not related to Tester's and offers no indication of how his charges might ultimately be resolved.
The charges remain allegations.
