Oregon Public Broadcasting

CANYON CITY - A man whose cross-country flight sparked a national manhunt last spring has pleaded guilty in Grant County Circuit Court to committing sex crimes against two girls under the age of 14.

John Edward Williams, shackled and emotional, appeared before Circuit Court Judge William D. Cramer Jr. last Thursday, Jan. 19, and pleaded guilty to counts of first-degree sexual abuse, second-degree sodomy and second-degree rape.

As part of a plea agreement, 25 other charges were dropped.

"This is in my best interest," Williams told the judge after being reminded of his right to trial. Williams said he still hopes to be able to see his own children in the future.

Cramer set sentencing for Wednesday, Jan. 25.

Court filings indicate the crimes occurred over about two months last summer, after the defendant moved in with his mother in Grant County in July.

In late August, as police investigated a report of child rape, Williams fled the county, triggering a nationwide alert for information about his whereabouts.

Williams turned up in Waynesville, N.C., on Aug. 30 where he was arrested on charges of larceny and possession of stolen goods, accused of stealing towels and blankets from a motel.

The charges in North Carolina resolved, Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer and Deputy Zach Mobley flew to North Carolina and brought Williams back to Canyon City on Sept. 26.

Deputy District Attorney Jeremy Deitrich, handling the case for the state, said the three Measure 11 charges carry a stipulated agreement of a 225-month prison sentence, about 18 years and nine months, and 45 months of post-prison supervision.

Cramer has the discretion to run the sentences concurrently, rather than consecutively, however, Deitrich doesn't anticipate that will happen.

"We think this is a fair resolution for the facts of the case," Deitrich said.

Defense attorney Markku Sario acknowledged the plea deal was vigorously negotiated, and said, "It's probably an appropriate outcome, at least for the number of counts he pled to."

However, he was bothered by aspects of the sentencing framework. He noted that recently a man was sentenced to 90 months in prison for a stabbing.

"This is about two and a half times that," he said. "It seems excessive."

Measure 11 leaves judges with few options, he said.

"For sex offenders it makes no sense," he said, "because there is no treatment in prisons. I think the research is clear, that the sooner a person receives treatment, the more likely it is to be effective."