Washington County Man Gets 25 Years After Sodomy, Sex Abuse Conviction

HILLSBORO, OR — A man convicted on charges related to a sexual attack on a child will spend 25 years in prison, a judge ruled Wednesday.

A jury in Washington County Circuit Court on March 31 found Nelson Aaron Lopez-Morales, 40, guilty of first-degree oral sodomy and first-degree sexual abuse, court documents said.

Judge Ricardo Menchaca handed down the sentence on Wednesday. Lopez-Morales will also undergo sex offender treatment and register as a sex offender.

The charges were brought in a series of attacks on a child younger than 10 years old, according to court documents.

The investigation started in July 2019, according to prosecutors.

The victim, a young girl, told a family member that Lopez-Morales attacked her earlier in the day, court documents said. A friend of the family reported the incident to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, prosecutors told the jury.

The child was examined at CARES Northwest medical clinic, where the child told doctors details of the attack, prosecutors said during the trial. The girl said that the attack had not been the first.

"The child showed incredible strength and bravery facing her abuser and testifying about what she endured," Deputy Washington County District Attorney Rayney Meisel said after the sentencing.