PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN 6) — A 40-year-old man convicted of sexually abusing a teenage boy hired to babysit his two children launched into a bizarre statement at his sentencing while his wife said she supported her husband’s comments and started to blame the victim.
Joseph Wehage will spend almost 19 years in prison for sexually abusing a boy who was hired to babysit his two children.
Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Chris Mascal on Thursday described Joseph Wehage as a “sexual predator” during a sentencing hearing.
Investigators said that Joseph Wehage groomed the 13-year-old boy between 2012-2013 and sexually abused him several times inside Wehage’s home. Before his conviction in April, Wehage had been convicted of third-degree encouraging child sexual abuse, second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse and attempted second-degree sodomy, court records show.
Detective Jason Christensen, who is assigned to the Portland Police Bureau’s Sex Crimes Unit, opened the investigation in August 2014 after police learned about the case through a mandatory reporter.
When confronted about the abuse, Wehage reportedly confessed to the crimes, court documents state. But he demanded a trial that forced the victim to testify.
“For a sex offender to put a child victim on trial, I think it’s appalling,” Mascal said Thursday. She acknowledged that Wehage was certainly within his rights, but that Wehage “could have mitigated” the trauma to the victim.
The victim did not attend Thursday’s sentencing.
“It’s just too much for him to be here,” Mascal said. The boy’s pastor attended the sentencing and said after court that the boy is getting counseling and help.
Wehage spoke in court. Using a cane, he struggled to stand from a seated position, then launched into a bizarre 15-minute statement. He talked about his own challenges in life and claimed that he had been sexually abused as a child. He often times became unintelligible through his loud wailing.
“It worries me that he (the victim) is going to be as screwed up as I am,” Wehage said.
After the sentencing, Wehage’s wife, Stephanie Wehage, said her husband was “speaking from the heart.” She supported her husband’s comments and started to blame the victim as well.
“I sat there during trial watching the kid lie,” Stephanie Wehage said. “Many of his statements were inconsistent and I have friends and family and neighbors who support my husband and myself.”
She said the family will appeal the conviction and sentencing.
Speaking by phone from the East Coast, Michael Wehage, Joseph’s brother, said he was satisfied with the sentence. Michael Wehage said he believes that he was the first victim of Joseph Wehage nearly 30 years ago.
“Joe has never ever accepted credit for his actions,” Michael Wehage said. “He never took the responsibility.”
Michael Wehage said his brother has victims in Columbia County and “around the Portland, Oregon area.”
“He has never accepted responsibility along the way,” Michael Wehage said. He did not seem surprised to hear that Joseph and Stephanie Wehage blamed the victim. He described both Joseph and Stephanie as controlling.
“And that’s just not fair for the child that he hurt or the other child victims over the year that Joe hurt,” Michael Wehage said.
Michael Wehage said he hopes his brother gets the help and treatment he needs. He suspects his brother has some sort of undiagnosed mental illness.
“I just don’t think that he will never change,” Michael Wehage, said. “I don’t think he will ever stop hurting people in a sexual manner.”
Because Joseph Wehage’s involvement with the church, detectives would like to hear from anyone else who suspects they have been abused.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 503.823.0894.