Whatcom County man sentenced to five years in prison for sexually abusing two young girls
Brian Matthew Drake, one of two brothers accused of sexually abusing and torturing two young girls in Bellingham about 20 years ago, was sentenced Tuesday morning to five years in prison followed by three years in community custody.
Drake, 33, pleaded guilty in Whatcom County Superior Court in late August to felony charges including first-degree child rape and second-degree child molestation. According to court records, Drake abused the two girls, both of whom were known to him, repeatedly over the course of seven years.
The Bellingham Herald’s policy is to avoid identifying victims of sex crimes when possible.
Drake was arrested in September 2023 and has been in Whatcom County Jail without bail since then. One of the girls he pleaded guilty to sexually abusing went to police about the abuse about seven months prior to his arrest, according to court documents.
Drake was initially charged with 22 felonies, but prosecutors dropped some of the charges due to concerns over statute of limitations.
The recommended sentence, which was accepted by Judge Lee Grochmal, was negotiated and agreed upon by the state and Drake’s attorney. It was influenced by the age of Drake when he committed the crimes and a desire to avoid the trauma of a trial.
Prosecutor Gordon Jenkins said the details of the case were “some of the most gruesome” he’s ever encountered in his time as a prosecutor.
One of the victims in the case was present at the sentencing. She described how the abuse has affected her entire life in an impact statement read by the state.
“My voice was taken from me for so long,” she said.
She recalled feeling suicidal at as young as 4 or 5 years old, and how it felt like she couldn’t protect herself.
“The physical and emotional pain will always be with me.”
The victim said she forgives Drake, but will never forget what he did to her.
Jenkins said the other woman abused by Drake as a child has had limited communication with prosecutors.
Drake told the court that he could “feel the weight of (his) past.”
He said some of the details of abuse were “fuzzy” to him, but the guilt is there. He added that even though his actions were likely influenced by childhood trauma, he still took accountability for them.
“The man here in this courtroom is far removed from the boy that committed these crimes,” Drake said.
Grochmal agreed that Drake seemed genuinely remorseful, and took into account his age at the time he abused the girls and a low risk to re-offend in imposing the suggested sentencing. At the same time, she said the crimes were “egregious.”
In addition to the time served in prison and community custody, Grochmal required Drake to undergo a sexual deviancy evaluation and complete recommended treatment. He will have to register as a sex offender, and a no-contact order with the girls he abused will be put in place for two years following the end of community custody.
Court documents indicate Aaron Joseph Drake, 33, is incarcerated at a private prison in Montana. He currently has no scheduled hearings in Whatcom County, and a trial date has not been set.
Resources
▪ Brigid Collins Family Support Center: 360-734-4616, brigidcollins.org Brigid Collins Family Support Center professionals are on call between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday to answer questions about children, families, abuse prevention or treatment at (360) 734-4616.
▪ Child Protective Services: Washington state hot line for reporting child abuse and neglect, 866-829-2153.
▪ Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services: 24-hour Help Line: 360-715-1563, Email: info@dvsas.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. If you or a child is in immediate danger, call 911 and make a report to law enforcement. To report child abuse or neglect call 1-866-END HARM.
▪ NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Whatcom: www.namiwhatcom.org/crisis-resources.html
▪ Washington State Crisis Line/National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or text HOME to 741741 for a crisis counselor
▪ Whatcom County Triage Center Crisis Line: 800-584-3578
This story was originally published March 11, 2025 at 2:30 PM.