Spokane, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on August 26, 2026, Douglas Lee Clark, age 47, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for Abusive Sexual Contact of a minor. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke also imposed a 10-year term of supervised release to follow the prison term.According to court documents, Clark pleaded guilty on March 9, 2026, to sexually touching the minor victim from approximately January 2019 to January 2021. Clark’s crime came to the attention of law enforcement in 2021, when the victim was brave enough to disclose to the parent of a friend and others that Clark had touched her sexually. When interviewed in a child forensic interview, the victim described Clark complimenting her body and rubbing her legs when she was as young as 10 or 11 years old. She further described Clark coming into her room when she was sleeping and touching her genitalia with his hands.Judge Dimke deemed Clark’s crime an “absolute repugnant series of acts,” through which he took advantage of a “child already absolutely vulnerable.” In addressing the victim, Judge Dimke spoke of her bravery in coming forward, despite Clark’s attempts to use her past trauma to discredit her.“Survivors of sexual abuse demonstrate extraordinary courage when they come forward, often in the face of profound adversity,” stated Serrano. “As prosecutors, we honor that courage by pursuing accountability with unwavering diligence, ensuring that those who commit these offenses are confronted by the full measure of justice.”"Mr. Clark abused a child in his care who deserved safety in her own home, and then tried to intimidate her into keeping silent,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “I deeply appreciate the courage this victim displayed in advocating for herself and bringing these crimes to light. While no sentence can undo this traumatic experience, we hope it brings a measure of comfort that justice has been served and sends a clear message to others. This kind of predation will not be tolerated and, thanks to the dedicated work of FBI Seattle and our partners, will have consequences."The Chairwoman of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Cindy Marchand, said, "The Colville Tribes is absolutely committed to keeping the children in our community safe and secure. Predators who commit acts of sexual abuse on children must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. We appreciate the diligent and successful work in this matter of the Colville Police Department, led by Chief Steve Brown, and our partners in the Federal Bureau of Investigation and in the Department of Justice in the Eastern District of Washington. Our specific thanks go to Assistant United States Attorney Ann Wick, who prosecuted this case and earned both a conviction and a lengthy prison term. Through the combined efforts of these law enforcement professionals, our children are now a little bit safer with this abuser behind bars.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Colville Tribe Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ann T. Wick. 2:24-cr-00130-MKD
Source: U.S. Department of Justice