Oregon - Harry Hintsala Faces Charges of Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Abusive Sexual Contact of Girls Under 12 Years Old

PORTLAND, OR—Harry Hintsala, 61, of Warm Springs, appeared in federal court today before United States Magistrate Judge John V. Acosta for his arraignment on an eight-count indictment charging aggravated sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact of minors. The crimes of aggravated sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact carry maximum penalties of life in prison and fines of $250,000. Trial is scheduled for December 13, 2011, before United States District Judge Michael Mosman. Defendant was released to a halfway house in the Portland area pending trial. Conditions of defendant’s pretrial release prohibit him from having any contact with minors and require him to wear a GPS monitoring bracelet at all times.

The indictment charges that between 2007 and 2011, Hintsala sexually abused five girls on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. All of the alleged victims were under 12 years old at the time of the sexual abuse. According to the prosecutor’s statements in court, Hintsala was previously a Warm Springs police officer, and he had also previously worked as a supervisor at Warm Springs Children Protective Services and as a teacher at Head Start. All of the alleged abuse occurred after defendant had retired from those public positions. The abuse is alleged to have taken place in defendant’s residence on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation.

“Sexual abuse of children is a heinous and tragic crime,” said S. Amanda Marshall, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Our office will make every effort to bring sexual predators to justice.”

This case is being investigated by the Warm Springs Police Department and the Bend FBI office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Gabriel.

An indictment is only an allegation of criminal activity. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/or/PressReleases/2011/20111017_Hintsala.html