A Richland man admitted this week to exposing himself to elementary students near schools because relationships with women were “not exciting anymore.”
Scott L. Phelps, 36, pleaded guilty in Benton County Superior Court Thursday to seven crimes that included first-degree child molestation and two counts each of having child porn, communicating with a minor for immoral purposes and indecent exposure.
He faces a minimum of 8 years to nearly 11 years in a state prison. Once he’s finished that sentence, a Washington state board will decide if he can be released.
If the board decides he can’t be released, he will spend more time in prison, up to a possible a life term.
The prosecutor and defense attorney plan on arguing at the sentencing hearing what they believe the length of that minimum sentence should be. That hearing has not been set.
Phelps, who claimed that he had sex with more than 100 women, told investigators after his arrest that “it was not exciting anymore.” He found it thrilling to do something “he was not supposed to do,” court documents said.
He started about three years ago with downloading child pornography. Then late last year, he told investigators he began “flashing” people, starting with homeless women, court documents said.
In February, he began targeting children.
He approached an Amistad Elementary student on Feb. 11 and 12 and offered her money to look at his genitals, court documents said. The second time, she ran home crying.
A week later, he approached a different Amistad student walking home from school about 2:15 p.m. and exposed himself, court documents said..
The girl ran home to her father, who reported seeing the SUV slow down to talk with his daughter. He was able to identify the vehicle as a GMC Acadia.
Police identified the car using traffic cameras, and an officer spotted Phelps on Feb. 25 driving near the same downtown Kennewick school.
Phelps admitted later to investigators that he was looking for another child to expose himself to.
He was arrested Feb. 26 and initially denied exposing himself, but tips from the public and evidence found on his cell phone led to more charges.
Police said the phone seized from his SUV allegedly showed visits to websites with child pornography. So police got a search warrant for the phone and found several child pornography.
Prosser police also learned Phelps attended a party where he touched a child inappropriately while other adults were distracted.
Police rearrested him two days later on the new charges.
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