A 42 year-old woman from Washington was sentenced to state prison this week for engaging in sexual conduct with a 15 year old boy, as well as her pet dog. She also took pictures of the illegal acts with her cell phone, according to court documents.
Deanna M. Wilson from Port Angeles, Washington pleaded guilty this week to the possession of photographs of a minor engaged in sexual acts, dealing in depictions of a minor engaged in sexual acts, and first degree animal cruelty w/sexual contact.
The sicko has been sentenced to 5.5 years in prison for possession of the photographs. A rape charge, three counts of animal cruelty and giving alcohol to minor charges were dropped.
The police stated that the woman took selfies of herself doing a sexual act on the teenager and also sent photos of his genitals to one of his friends. These events occurred at a party of underage boys in her home. She also gave them alcohol at the party in October 2016.
A search done of her phone also showed that Wilson had sexual contact with her dog twice in 2016. While her face was not shown in this or in any videos involving minors, identification of the defendant was made based upon body markings.
Wilson stated in court that she was sorry for what she did and the people she has hurt. The criminal deputy on the case stated that the facts involved were disturbing to say the least.
Wilson stated during the trial that the boy claimed to be 16, which he claimed was the new legal age of consent. She also told the court that she did foolish things when she was drinking and did not even remember what she did with the boy. She said that she is not sexually interested in young people and had always dated older men.
Washington State Sex Crime Laws Similar to Federal Laws
The laws in states such as Washington against sex crimes bear resemblance to laws at the federal level. Federal sex crime laws are heavily focused on those who cannot provide legal consent under the law. This includes those under the age of 18 and those who are mentally and/or physically impaired.
Sexual abuse of a child or minor often will involve a number of federal charges. As in the Washington case above, child pornography is frequently part of the case. People who create, procure or disseminate sexually explicit material that involve minors often face other charges, such as conspiracy.
One of the differences between state and federal sex crime laws is the age of consent. Each state has different laws on what the legal age of consent is to engage in sexual activity. Still, regardless of what state laws say, some sexual crimes committed against certain protected members of society still will fall under federal jurisdiction.
Some of the most common types of federal sex crimes that are prosecuted each year are:
- Aggravated sexual abuse. This is where the person uses force or threat of force to make someone engage in a sexual act against his or her will. It is a federal crime if it occurs in the US or on federal property.
- Crossing state lines to engage in any sexual activity who has not attained the age of 12.
- Sexual abuse of a minor, or a ward who is under the trusted custody of the individual; or sexual abuse of an individual by threats of bodily harm or death.
A related crime under federal law is child molestation. These cases involve any type of sexual touching that occurs between a child and an adult. Also, if there is a three year gap between two minors, it also is known legally as molestation.
Sexual abuse and child molestation are related crimes but different. Molestation must involve some type of physical touching, whereas sexual abuse only involves the non-physical. This might include viewing child pornography, or watching a child get undressed with a sexual intent.
Child molestation punishment typically involves having to sign onto a lifetime sex offenders registry, losing parental rights, counseling and probation.
Sexual Crimes Against Animals, Sadly, Are Not Unusual
Sexual crimes against animals, known as bestiality, are not uncommon. Currently, 36 states and three US territories have laws that make criminal the sexual assault of an animal. States that do not have these statutes make it more difficult to prosecute sex crimes against animals; prosecutors typically have to rely upon anti-cruelty laws and these laws are not always best for successful prosecutions.
In the state of Washington, bestiality has been illegal since 2006. However the state has a rather infamous history of bestiality. The Seattle Met in 2011 posted an article stating that Washington was the worst state for bestiality, claiming that the state is ‘steeped in man on best history.’ And in 2011, the Seattle Post Intelligencer released an article stating that Washington state has a high number of bestiality crimes.
The state also in 2010 had the highest number of bestiality crimes reported in the US, even though it was only the #13 state in the US at the time in terms of population.
Sex Charges and Legal Help
Those who have been accused of sex crimes under either state or federal law face serious consequences, including long prison terms, fines and being registered permanently on sex offender registries. Talk to an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible to determine your legal options.