PORT ANGELES – A Forks man was sentenced to a prison term of 9 years to life Tuesday after a jury last month found him guilty of one count of rape of a child and one count of child molestation.
The charges stemmed from an incident that occurred during the middle of 2012. At the time, Miguel Medel-Lopez was living with the victim, who was eight years-old at the time, along with his wife and her sister, the victim’s mother.
The Prosecutor’s office says Medel-Lopez drove the victim and two of her younger siblings to his cabin near Lake Pleasant. He then brought the victim and her sister into his bedroom, leaving the victim’s brother outside the room. While they all watched television on the bed, Medel-Lopez put his hand under the victim’s dress and sexually assaulted her.
During an investigation 7 years later, in 2019, the victim confronted Medel-Lopez during a recorded telephone call. During the call, he tried to explain his actions by blaming the way the victim had played with him and by saying he had not been in his right mind. He also told the victim that he did not force her to do anything.
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Steve Johnson praised the victim for showing tremendous courage and persistence, and described her as an example that it is never too late to speak up if someone has caused you serious harm.