Lynden man sentenced for sexually assaulting three teenagers in last four years
A Lynden man will spend five years on probation for sexually assaulting three teenagers in the last four years.
Luke Caspian Jefferson, 21, was sentenced Dec. 20 in Whatcom County Superior Court to five years in prison with five years suspended. Jefferson pleaded guilty the same day in court to one count of third-degree rape and three counts of third-degree assault with sexual motivation, according to court records.
Jefferson was given a special sex offender sentencing alternative that suspends his prison time and converts it to probation. While on his five years of probation, Jefferson will be required to attend sex offender treatment and comply with a multitude of rules, including registering as a sex offender, not possessing electronic devices unless authorized, not living with minors and not possessing alcohol or marijuana, court records state.
If Jefferson violates the conditions of his probation, he could be sanctioned with jail time, or the court could revoke his sentencing alternative and suspended sentence and he would serve time in prison, the records show.
In September 2020, the Lynden Police Department received a report that Jefferson raped a then 16-year-old girl at his home in August of that year, the court records state.
The girl told investigators that Jefferson raped her after she repeatedly told him to stop. Jefferson then took lewd photographs of the girl, the records state.
When police searched Jefferson’s phone, they found 17 sexually explicit photos of the girl, court records state.
At the time of his arrest in early November 2020, Jefferson was on juvenile probation for sexually assaulting two 15-year-old girls in June and October of 2018, court records show.
Because the juvenile court’s jurisdiction was ending in October 2021, the case involving the two 15-year-old girls was dismissed in juvenile court and charges were refiled against Jefferson as adult felonies in Superior Court, according to court records.
Jefferson faced charges of one count of third-degree rape, one count of second-degree possession of depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and two counts of indecent liberties.
Jefferson’s charges were amended Dec. 20 to one count of third-degree rape and three counts of third-degree assault with sexual motivation, which he pleaded to and was sentenced for.
Resources
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or sexual assault, you can contact the following local resources for free, confidential support:
▪ Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services: 24-hour Help Line: 360-715-1563, Email: info@dvsas.org.
▪ Lummi Victims of Crime: 360-312-2015 or https://www.lummi-nsn.gov/Website.php?PageID=399.
▪ Tl’ils Ta’á’altha Victims of Crime: 360-325-3310 or nooksacktribe.org/departments/youth-family-services/tlils-taaaltha-victims-of-crime-program/.
▪ Bellingham Police: You can call anonymously at 360-778-8611, or go online at cob.org/tips.
▪ WWU Consultation and Sexual Assault Support Survivor Advocacy Services: 360-650-3700 or wp.wwu.edu/sexualviolence/.
▪ Brigid Collins Family Support Center: 360-734-4616, brigidcollins.org.
