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For victims of caseworker, restitution depends on civil lawsuits By JONEL ALECCIA Convicted on sex charges, a former Jackson County caseworker will repay the state of Oregon nearly $9,000 in legal fees and fines, a judge ruled Friday. But restitution for his victims will be determined by civil lawsuits that will likely be filed. Robert Forrest Jackson will refund the state $5,432 for the costs of his court-appointed attorney, and another $3,500 in unitary assessments, Judge Patricia Crain ruled. The funds will come from $17,000 in seized state retirement benefits paid to Jackson, a 13-year veteran of the county Developmental Disabilities program. Jackson, 63, of Talent, was sentenced in August to 20 years in state prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing and sodomizing five developmentally disabled men, including four former clients. He also pleaded no contest to sexually abusing two other adult male victims. Crain left restitution for the victims, many of whom have required extensive counseling at a cost of $25 to $95 an hour, to be determined by pending civil lawsuits. Lawyers representing at least seven victims have notified Jackson County officials they intend to sue. One of these victims was a 32-year-old developmentally disabled former client adopted by Jackson a few years ago. The man was not named in the criminal lawsuit. Restitution available from Jackson's resources may not be much. Shortly before his arrest in August 2000, Jackson abruptly resigned his county post. He received a lump sum payment of some $27,000 from the state Public Employees Retirement System, according to court records. After repaying a previous loan, taxes and other fees, about $17,000 was left. A court order directed those funds to be used to repay the state for the services of Andrew Vandergaw, Jackson's public defender. About $8,000 remains, but federal law prohibits the use of pension payments for restitution, lawyers indicated Friday. In addition, Jackson will lose any federal Social Security payments while in prison. Prison work programs may offer the only source of income that could be diverted to victims. It's not clear whether Jackson's age, ill health and the nature of his crimes might prevent him from working. And those programs typically pay only minimal wages. "What are they earning now? A dollar a day?" Crain said. "Whatever it is," added Jennifer Martin, an attorney for the state, "those funds are targeted toward restitution." Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.