HILLSBORO, Ore.- On July 22, 2019, Washington County Judge Eric Butterfield sentenced Ulizes Escobar to 116 months in prison. The first 75 months of that sentence fall under Measure 11 sentencing guidelines. On July 19, 2019, Escobar pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter. This case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Andy Pulver.

On November 20, 2018, Escobar and his victim went to a home in Hillsboro with several minors. Escobar had smoked marijuana throughout the day and continued to do so at the residence. The group went to a bedroom where Escobar revealed two handguns he had brought to the residence. Escobar passed around one of the handguns to other members of the group. That gun, a revolver, was unloaded.

Escobar began to dry fire the unloaded revolver as he pointed it at several people in the room. As he was doing this, he had a second weapon, a semiautomatic handgun, in his left hand. He then pointed that second weapon at a wall near where the victim was standing and pulled the trigger. This weapon was loaded, and the bullet struck the victim. The victim died as a result of his wounds a short time later.

Escobar hid the unloaded revolver in the home. He and the minors present made false statements to police, claiming two unknown gunmen came to the house and shot the victim. Investigators quickly determined this narrative to be false and eventually the minors and Escobar told the true story of what led to the victim’s death.

Investigators at the Washington County Digital Forensics Laboratory searched Escobar’s phone and found several photos and videos depicting him using various firearms in an extremely unsafe manner. While evidence yielded during the investigation made clear that Escobar acted recklessly and with extreme indifference to the value of human life, it did not demonstrate that Escobar specifically intended to kill the victim.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the investigative work of the Hillsboro Police Department as well as that of staff at the Washington County Digital Forensics Laboratory for their assistance on this case.

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

HILLSBORO, Ore.- On July 18, 2019, Judge Charles Bailey sentenced Juan Perales Jr. to 75 months in prison. On June 20, 2019, Perales was convicted on multiple charges including first-degree sexual abuse, fourth-degree assault constituting domestic violence, strangulation and menacing constituting domestic violence. The case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney John Gerhard.

On December 21, 2018, Perales, who lived and worked in Seattle, Washington at the time, convinced the victim to come to his hotel. He told her it would be safe because there would be other people at the facility.

Once inside his room, Perales became agitated and began to threaten the victim because she wanted to end their relationship. He grabbed a handgun and pulled the slide back in an attempt to intimidate her. The woman tried to leave the room, but Perales grabbed her by the neck and pushed her onto the bed. He then used his body weight to pin her to the bed and began kissing her despite her objections. He covered her mouth and nose with his hand to muffle her screams, obstructing her breathing in the process.

As he continued to hold her down, Perales then forcibly engaged in sexual activity with her against her will. The victim was screaming so loudly that hotel security called to check on the room twice. During the second call the victim was able to escape the room and was seen on hotel surveillance video running from Perales as he chased her down a hallway. He put her in a headlock and tried to drag her back into his room but ended up locking himself out.

Beaverton Police arrived a short time later and arrested Perales. He admitted to engaging in the unwanted sexual contact with the victim and also admitted he prevented her from leaving the hotel at least three times.

“Mr. Perales subjected his victim to a horrific situation, and no person deserves to be treated that way,” Gerhard said of the abuse committed by Perales. “I am thankful that he was held accountable for his crimes. The Washington County DA’s Office is committed to our mission of protecting vulnerable victims, including domestic violence survivors.”

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the work of Beaverton Police Detective Chad Opitz on this case. We’d also like to commend the victim for her bravery in testifying in court.

In addition to his prison sentence, the defendant will have to register as a sex offender for life, and he will also be subject to 10 years of post-prison supervision with recommendations for sex offender and domestic violence counseling.

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

HILLSBORO, Ore.- On July 10, 2019, Judge Ricardo Menchaca sentenced Todd Allan Wymer to 114 months in prison. He was also barred from having any contact with minors or his victim upon his release. Additionally, Judge Menchaca stipulated Wymer be subject to post-prison supervision for 20 years less time served upon his release with a recommendation to seek child sex abuse treatment and counseling. He must also register as a sex offender for life. 

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

***Original Press Release Below***

HILLSBORO, Ore.- On May 20, 2019, a Washington County jury found Todd Allan Wymer guilty of First-Degree Sodomy, Second-Degree Sex Abuse and three counts of Luring a Minor. Deputy District Attorney Chris Lewman prosecuted the case against Wymer in Judge Ricardo Menchaca’s courtroom.

The victim in this case was known to Wymer and was just 14-years-old when he began grooming her to be sexually abused. The victim told investigators that Wymer would give her alcohol, marijuana and other drugs and ordered her to keep this arrangement a secret from others.

Eventually, Wymer began withholding these items unless the victim agreed to engage in sexual conduct with him. That abuse began with kissing and touching but quickly escalated.

The victim first made a disclosure of abuse in 2011. At the time, Wymer admitted to the drug use but denied any sexual abuse occurred. The victim then moved out of state and indicated she did not want to move forward with the case.

In 2017, the victim contacted King City Police once again. She reported she was suffering from the trauma of the abuse and was ready to pursue charges against Wymer. Her testimony proved vital in securing a conviction against him.

This case demonstrates the complexity and difficulty associated with prosecuting crimes involving sexual abuse. These cases can be especially challenging to prove and often times victims are not able or ready to proceed right away. We commend the victim in this case for coming forward and showing the courage to confront her abuser in court.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the investigative work on this case by King City Police Chief Ernest Happala and Officer Shelby Thatcher.

Sentencing is set for July 10, 2019. Wymer will remain in custody until that time.

HILLSBORO, Ore.- On June 28th, 2019, a Washington County jury found Rondrae Devante Jefferson guilty of all charges brought against him. He was convicted of first-degree forcible rape, three counts of second-degree sex abuse and third-degree rape. The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Chris Lewman in Judge Andrew Erwin’s courtroom.

Beaverton Police began investigating Jefferson in November of 2017 when one of his three known victims reported he raped her. During the course of the investigation, detectives discovered two additional victims who all reported similar attacks at the hands of Jefferson.

In all three cases, Jefferson met his victims through social media and arranged to meet in person. The first known attack took place in 2015. The victim in that case was only 16-years-old when Jefferson met her and invited her to a party. In this case, Jefferson violently assaulted her before he began to rape her. The victim reported the attack to several friends shortly thereafter.

The second victim was only 15-years-old when she met Jefferson online and agreed to meet with him. Jefferson took the victim to a nearby park and sexually assaulted her in his car.

The third victim was 17-years-old when Jefferson used social media to invite her to a house party. The victim became intoxicated. Jefferson then followed her into a bedroom where he sexually assaulted her.

Investigators fear there could be additional victims who have yet to come forward. We urge anyone with information about crimes involving Jefferson to call law enforcement.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the work of Beaverton Police Officer Paul Fleckenstein and Detective Cindy Herring for their work on this case. We’d also like to commend the victims for having the courage to come forward and testify in court.

A sentencing hearing in this case is set for August 9, 2019.

HILLSBORO, Ore.- On July 1, 2019, Judge Ted Sims sentenced Justine Mims to 30 days in jail and three years of probation with ordered mental health treatment. Judge Sims also barred Mims from having any contact with her victims. On June 27, 2019, Mims was found guilty in a bench trial of second-degree trespass and misdemeanor stalking. The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Greg Brown.

Mims was a student in the victim’s class at an area college when she began to engage in repeated unwanted contact. In 2017, she began emailing the victim repeatedly and attended his office hours with increasing frequency. The victim became more concerned when Mims requested they begin a sexual relationship. He refused, and alerted authorities at the university. They issued an order barring Mims from having any contact with the victim, an order she violated repeatedly. This behavior prompted school officials to expel her from the university.

This action did not put an end to the harassment. In January of 2018, the victim returned home from work to find Mims waiting for him in his driveway. She refused to leave his property despite several orders to do so. The victim was forced to barricade himself inside his home, along with his two children, as he called 911. Mims could be heard turning door knobs in an effort to gain entry as the victim waited for law enforcement. Washington County Sheriff’s deputies then arrived and again ordered Mims to leave the residence. She refused and was arrested.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the work of Washington County Sheriff’s Deputies Trevor Cooley and Steven Fittinger in addition to Corporal Theresa Fichter for their work on this case.

Mims has been transferred to the Washington County Jail to begin serving her sentence.