Document text
Woman charged with sex crime Allegedly let men have sex with daughter By CHRIS BRISTOL A Medford woman was arraigned in court Wednesday on charges that she let two men have sex with her 13-year-old daughter for money and drugs. The woman pleaded not guilty in a brief appearance before a Jackson County judge on multiple charges of first- and second-degree rape, sodomy and endangering the welfare of a minor. She entered no plea on charges of furnishing liquor to an intoxicated person and promoting prostitution. All but two of the charges -- 12 in all -- are felonies. A spokesman for the Medford police department said detectives seek the arrest of three men in connection with the case. All three suspects have been indicted by a Jackson County grand jury. They have not been identified yet, but detectives are pursuing solid leads, Lt. Tim George said. "The arrest of these individuals is imminent," George said. "This case is one of our top priorities." The charges stem from an alleged encounter last month at the woman's apartment in east Medford. George said one man had sex with the girl with the mother's consent and another had sex with the mother and the daughter. The third man had sex with the mother in the girl's presence. "This all happened on the same night at the same apartment," he said. He said the men were "not strangers" to the woman, but declined to elaborate because the case remains under investigation. The woman's name is a matter of public record, but the Mail Tribune decided against printing it to protect the daughter's identity. George said the woman's other daughter, an 11 year old, was present on the night of the encounters. He said investigators have no evidence that the younger girl was sexually abused. Both girls are staying with relatives. George said the police learned of the incident from relatives. George said the prostitution charge stemmed from allegations the woman "received monetary or narcotic benefit from allowing this to happen." "It's a horrible set of circumstances," he added. "There was some pretty horrendous stuff going on." Under Oregon's Measure 11 sentencing law, first-degree rape and sodomy is punishable by 100 months in prison. Second-degree rape and sodomy carry terms of 75 months. The law, passed by voters in 1994, prohibits early release or parole for any reason. Sentences are mandatory, meaning judges have no discretion. All three male suspects face multiple counts of second-degree rape. Other charges include sodomy, sexual penetration with a foreign object and furnishing liquor to an intoxicated person. The woman, who was arrested Aug. 5, remains in custody at the Jackson County Jail on $500,000 bail. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA