Photo of Doug R. Villines courtesy of Malheur County Sheriff’s Office
VALE — It took a jury less than two hours on Wednesday to decide that Doug R. Villines had sexually abused a 10-year-old girl over three days last October.
The 43-year-old man from Nyssa was found guilty in Malheur County Circuit Court on numerous charges: two counts of first-degree sexual abuse, two counts of first-degree attempted sexual abuse, one count of first-degree attempted rape, one count of first-degree sodomy, and a final charge for failing to report as a sex offender.
District Attorney David Goldthorpe applauded the bravery of the girl, now 11 years old, for taking the stand in the three-day trial.
“She did a great job. She was very brave,” he said. “It was a long process to get all the witnesses together…. The family of Doug (Villines) testified and tried to discredit the child.”
Goldthorpe said the jury’s decision included support for an enhanced, longer sentence for Villines because of the seriousness of the crimes and his prior criminal record. The man’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 22.
“The state will be seeking a very long sentence,” Goldthorpe said. “He is a repeat child sex offender.”
The girl remains in foster care, Goldthorpe said. An indictment in the case earlier this year noted that the girl’s mother “initially expressed disbelief in the disclosures of her child and has taken actions to punish the child.” Goldthorpe said the mother was among the people called by Villines’ defense counsel to testify this week.
Wednesday’s conviction is only Villines’ latest.
According to Idaho records, Villines had previously served time in prison for aggravated battery, grand theft, and forgery. In Oregon, he also was convicted after escaping from community supervision as well as for theft and transferring stolen vehicles. In 2007, he pled guilty in a sexual abuse case in Malheur County. He was released from South Idaho Correctional Institution on April 4, 2017.
By October 2017, he was living in an RV park north of Nyssa and had abused the young girl who lived with him.
Court records filed early in the case described the physical and sexual abuse as taking place while the girl’s mother was at work.
“The child described being hit with a belt repeatedly,” the court document recounted. “The child also described hearing Doug talk about stabbing someone he was friends with in prison.”
The girl also said Villines threatened to break her brother’s neck “for wetting his pants,” according to the filing.
Villines was indicted on three counts in December, but evaded arrest as he had done in previous criminal cases.
Social media posts by the Malheur Enterprise about the search for Villines reached more than 100,000 people and generated tips to police. Citizens reported seeing him in Weiser and Fruitland while associates said he had fled Arkansas, where he has family.
On Jan. 23, police arrested Villines about 10 miles north of Weiser at a home in a rural area of Mann Creek, in a manhunt that detectives were grateful did not turn violent.
Where to get help or donate to support survivors of sexual or domestic violence
The National Sexual Assault Hotline at (800) 656 4673 provides confidential support and referrals. Callers who enter their zip code will be connected to a support organization working in that area. The Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence represents dozens of support and shelter programs and helps survivors find resources. Ontario-based Project Dove serves Malheur County survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, teen dating violence, and stalking. Many of these groups also accept donations to fund their work.
Reporter Jayme Fraser: [email protected] or (541) 473-3377