wa former tacoma cop girlfriend plead

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11/26/2007

A retired Tacoma police officer and his girlfriend face what could

amount to life sentences after pleading guilty to child-sex crimes.

Pierce County Superior Court Judge Bryan Chushcoff accepted the pleas

of Lee William Giles Jr. and Maureen Elizabeth Wear on Monday.

Giles, 63, and Wear, 47, each pleaded guilty to one count each of

first-degree child rape, second-degree child rape, first-degree child

molestation and third-degree assault.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys will recommend sentences of just

more than 19 years in prison for both defendants.

But the terms of confinement will be left open-ended. That means Giles

and Wear can't be released from prison until they serve the 19 years

and a state review board then decides they are no longer a threat to

society, deputy prosecutor John Sheeran said.

Chushcoff will sentence Giles on Jan. 4. Wear's sentencing was set for

Dec. 28.

Sheeran said he was willing to make a deal with the pair to guarantee

a conviction and spare the victims the trauma of going through a

public trial.

Giles had been charged with 26 crimes, Wear with 17.

"There would have been a lot of graphic evidence introduced had the

case gone to trial," he said. "The victims' families are supportive of

this resolution."

The investigation began after a male relative of Wear's told

authorities he'd been abused by the couple for years.

Detectives searched the retired police officer's home on North Proctor

Street and seized videotapes that showed Giles and Wear sexually

abusing the boy and two girls related to Giles, according to court

records. The victims ranged in age from 3 to 16, the records state.

The crimes were particularly shocking because Giles was for years the

face of the police department, reaching out to the community on radio,

television and through the schools.

Among other duties during his 30-year career, Giles was assigned to

the "Harvey, the Talking Motorcyle" program, a police program in

elementary schools aimed at making officers less scary.

In court Monday, a haggard-looking Giles - who wore his long, white

hair in a ponytail - answered Chushcoff's questions in a quiet voice

and replied, "Guilty, sir," four times when the judge asked him how he

intended to plead to the reduced charges.

He then was led back to the Pierce County Jail, where he's been since

his arrest.

Giles' attorney, Michael Schwartz, said after court that his client

took the deal to "not only put this behind him but put it behind the

members of his family as well.

Wear's attorney, Bret Purtzer, said his client likewise took the deal

to "get out of this disaster" and give herself a chance to one day

walk out of prison.

Posted in Labels: .Washington, OffenderFemale, OffenderMale |

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