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| Mark John Walker |
07/18/2011
PORTLAND - A parole officer who sexually abused female offenders under his supervision was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Monday.
Mark John Walker, 52, of Eugene was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Ralph R. Beistline, a visiting judge from Alaska.
Walker engaged in sexual contact or aggravated sexual abuse with female offenders who were under his direct supervision as a federal probation officer from 2006 to 2009. The sentence stems from his conduct involving five women.
As a United States Probation Officer, Walker supervised offenders who were serving probation or supervised release terms imposed by a federal judge, including offenders with vulnerable backgrounds involving sexual abuse, mental illness and drug addiction.
Walker had the power to recommend that offenders who violated their conditions of probation or supervised release be jailed or otherwise sanctioned.
While exercising his authority as a probation officer, Walker willfully violated the victims' civil rights by kissing them or touching their breasts, buttocks and inner thighs without their consent and in order to gratify his own sexual desires, prosecutors said.
With one victim, Walker pulled her pants down and forced her to have sexual intercourse with him when he visited her home as part of his official duties, the U.S. Attorney's office said.
The victims never reported the violations to authorities because they were afraid that no one would believe them and because Walker, as their probation officer, had the power to have them incarcerated or otherwise punished, prosecutors said.
Walker, who was a federal probation officer for over 20 years, will himself be subjected to supervision by a probation officer for five years when he is released from prison.
In addition, he was ordered to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, undergo a sexual deviancy evaluation and get treatment.
Walker was ordered not to have any contact with any of the victims in the case, as well as several other women who came forward to law enforcement and reported that Walker had treated them in similar ways in years past.
Chief Judge Beistline also ordered Walker to pay a $25,000 fine.
"Walker's betrayal of trust is staggering," stated U.S. Attorney Dwight C. Holton. "He victimized people he was entrusted to supervise, and on top of that, he undermined the credibility of people in law enforcement and the courthouse community. I hope his lengthy prison sentence makes clear that we will hold accountable those who breach the public trust."
Chief Judge Beistline apologized to the victims on behalf of the government and the federal court and commended each of them for their courage, strength and integrity in coming forward. The court found that each of the victims was particularly vulnerable and that the defendant took advantage of those vulnerabilities.
The case has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Eugene, Oregon. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Pamala Holsinger, Hannah Horsley and Craig Gabriel prosecuted the case with assistance from the United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section.
