PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Police accuse a southeast Portland man of sexually abusing two girls.
On Wednesday, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office charged Zachary Thomas Turner with two counts of first-degree rape, three counts of first-degree sexual abuse and one count of first-degree sodomy. A grand jury will review the case within the next week.
KOIN 6 News has learned that there are two alleged victims. Both were minors at the time of the alleged abuse.
Turner, according to police, was a babysitter for both girls. They are now 10 and 13 years old, according to court documents.
The alleged abuse is said to have occurred between 2009 and 2015.
Court records show the girls underwent a forensic interview earlier this month.
One of the girls told investigators that she was able to recall several distinct incidents of sexual abuse while Turner was her babysitter, according to court documents.
In one alleged incident, the girl said that Turner told her to masturbate for him in order to get a blanket back from him, according to court documents.
Turner was taken into custody at the Portland Police Bureau’s Family Services Division on East Burnside on Tuesday after being interviewed by police.
Turner initially said he never touched the two girls while babysitting. As the interview progressed, he later admitted he masturbated in front of the girls and that it “was possible” that he ejaculated on the girls and had to clean them afterward, according to court documents. Turner also admitted that he “probably” touched the girls while he masturbated.
Turner told police that those events had been eating at him and that he was “haunted” by the memories. He also said that he’s tried to “block out” what occurred.
KOIN 6 News spoke with Morgan Siri on Tuesday prior to Turner’s court appearance. She identified herself as Turner’s girlfriend. She said that she and Turner have been dating for about a year.
She said had conversations with Turner about the allegations and was surprised that police booked Turner into jail on rape and sodomy charges.
“From what he told me, the rape and sodomy charges don’t make sense,” Turner said. “There was no penetration.”
Siri said she did not know the alleged victims and when asked additional follow up questions, the phone line remained silent.
Turner appeared in court on Wednesday where not guilty pleas were entered on his behalf.