Defendant was briefly caring for young relatives at a
residence on base while his step-father was an active duty soldier
Tacoma, WA – A 26-year-old man was sentenced today in U.S.
District Court in Tacoma to ten years in prison and lifetime supervised release
for abusive sexual contact of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T.
Moran. CHARLES EVAN CRAWFORD was
22-years-old when he sexually molested a 6-year-old child who had been left in
his care, while other adults ran errands on the base. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District
Judge Ronald B. Leighton said, “It is imperative that we in the criminal
justice system offer protection and stability against future harm. I think Mr.
Crawford is a threat.”
According to the stipulated facts admitted at the bench
trial, the 6-year-0ld victim and other children were at the duplex on Joint Base
Lewis McChord (JBLM) on June 16, 2016, when CRAWFORD’s mother left him in
charge while she ran to the grocery store and picked up his step-father from
his duty station.
During the period of time CRAWFORD was responsible for
supervising the children, he took one 6-year-old child into the bathroom and
molested the child. The victim and other
children reported the assault to other adults within hours of the sexual
contact. The child was forensically
interviewed at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital.
The FBI and the Army Criminal Investigative Division (CID) conducted a
joint investigation including the retrieval of DNA evidence. Because the assault occurred on an area of
exclusive federal jurisdiction, the case was prosecuted in federal court.
CRAWFORD was arrested on June 17, 2016, and formally charged
in federal court on June 20, 2016.
CRAWFORD was convicted at a bench trial on July 8, 2019. Following his prison term, CRAWFORD will be
required to register as a sex offender.
The case was investigated by FBI and Army CID. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant
United States Attorneys Grady Leupold and Marie Dalton.
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