BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A Bellingham man convicted of sexually abusing two family members for years has been sentenced.
33-year-old Brian Drake was sentenced in Whatcom County court to five years in prison, followed by another three years of community custody.
Drake pled guilty to three charges of child rape, molestation and incest last August.
The two victims, who are now adults, reported the abuse to investigators in 2023. They said that Brian and his brother Aaron repeatedly subjected them to sexual abuse for several years when they were children.
Prosecutors argued for a lesser sentence because Drake was too young to be held legally responsible when the crimes were committed. However, Drake is still required to register as a sex offender and will have no contact with the victims for at least five years after he’s released.
Drake’s brother, Aaron, is currently serving a 10-year sentence for an assault charge in Montana. It’s unclear when or if he’ll be extradited to Whatcom County.
Drakes’ parents went to church leadership for advice when they learned about some of his actions in the late 2000’s. Neither they nor the clergy they consulted with reported the abuses to Child Protective Services or any another state agency.
Now a bill that would designate more leaders as mandated reporters is making its way through the Washington state Legislature.
Washington state law doesn’t require religious leaders to report child abuse claims to the state. But if SB 5375 is signed into law, clergy members would be required to report any claims of physical or sexual abuse of a child.
The bill has cleared the state Senate and is scheduled for a public hearing in a House Committee on Friday, March 14.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic/sexual violence, call 800-656-HOPE (4673) to reach the National Sexual Assault Hotline.
