Conlan Craig was charged in August in Lewis County Superior Court with two counts of first-degree child rape.
A Chehalis man who pleaded guilty to raping two girls for years, starting when they were 5 years old, was sentenced to spend at least 13 years and as much as life in prison for the crimes.
Conlan M. Craig, 20, of Chehalis, was sentenced Wednesday to at least 160 months and up to life in prison as determined by Washington’s Indeterminate Sentence Review Board, because he was convicted of a Class A sex offense.
Craig pleaded guilty Dec. 14 to one count each of first- and second-degree rape of a child.
The standard sentencing range for first-degree rape is 120 to 160 months, with the possibility of more time in custody from the ISRB.
“We do believe the high end is appropriate,” said Deputy Prosecutor Melissa Bohm,
Bohm read statements from the two victims in the case, in which the girls said Craig had an “indescribable effect” on their lives.
“I blocked most of my childhood out of my memory,” one victim wrote.
Craig was charged in August 2016 on suspicion of raping the two girls starting when they were 5 years old after they reported the abuse to an adult. At the time of the report, the girls were 12 and 14.
According to court documents, Craig sexually assaulted one girl about six times, and the other over a period of time of approximately six years.
Craig allegedly admitted to abusing the girls and was arrested, according to court documents.
“You destroyed us in the worst of ways,” wrote the second victim.
Craig hung his head throughout the proceeding, and did not make a statement when given the opportunity.
Defense attorney David Arcuri asked for the lower end of the sentence — 120 months — asking Judge Joely O’Rourke to take into account the fact that Craig pleaded guilty, sparing the victims the trauma of reliving the abuse in a trial.
“It is no slap on the wrist. It’s 10 years in prison,” Arcuri said.
Before handing down a sentence, O’Rourke noted that Craig could have faced additional charges and aggravating factors if Arcuri had not negotiated a more favorable plea deal.
“I think it should be recognized that you are taking responsibility for your actions,” she said “However, given the impact this had on the victims, and the years this went on, I am going to impose the maximum. I think it is appropriate given the impact on the victims.”
Craig was given credit for 192 days in custody.
