Jury finds Whatcom man guilty of sexually abusing multiple children over two decades
A jury convicted a Blaine man of nearly a dozen child sex offenses last week after a two-week trial in Whatcom County Superior Court.
Sergey Andreevich Kovalenko, 60, was found guilty April 21 of one count of first-degree rape of a child, two counts of first-degree child molestation, five counts of second-degree child molestation and three counts of third-degree child molestation, according to court records.
Kovalenko was taken into custody after the verdicts were announced and a pre-sentence investigation was ordered.
Kovalenko’s sentencing hearing has not yet been set.
In 2016, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office began investigating Kovalenko for sexually assaulting multiple children known to him over a two-decade long period, the court records show.
The sheriff’s office’s investigation revealed that Kovalenko had sexually abused three girls from 1996 until 2016, the records state. The three children ranged in age from five years old up to 15 years old.
One of the girls said Kovalenko sexually assaulted her for more than a decade and that if she refused, he would threaten to hit her, the court records state.
The girl also told the sheriff’s office that the abuse stopped once she talked to family members about it, records show.
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.
▪ Brigid Collins Family Support Center: 360-734-4616, brigidcollins.org.
▪ Lummi Victims of Crime: 360-312-2015.
▪ 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/.
