Grays Harbor News Group
Robert Wayne Wright, 60, of Mountlake Terrace was arraigned in Grays Harbor County Superior Court Monday morning on a charge of second-degree rape of a child.
Wright was arrested by Hoquiam Police July 12 after allegedly sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy at a motel in Aberdeen.
Wright is a child psychologist who appears to have been hired recently as a psychologist in the Kent School District, according to a report by The Everett Herald.
A post titled “Important Information” on the district website says an employee had been arrested and charged in Grays Harbor County.
However, the communications department at the school district would not confirm if the post referred to Wright, and would not comment about whether the district was aware of past allegations involving the same employee.
Wright had been accused of sexually assaulting a young man, 18, on a camping trip in Snohomish County in 2007. Those charges were dropped months later, upon further investigation.
According to court papers from 2007, Wright told police he was “charged with a similar offense many years ago.”
According to documents from the Grays Harbor County Prosecutor’s Office filed July 15, Wright and the victim met in an online chat room. According to the documents, the victim told investigators he initially met Wright in person at a Hoquiam church parking lot July 8. He said he accompanied Wright to the motel and when he refused sex was sexually assaulted.
Wright was found and arrested at the Aberdeen motel July 12. Wright claimed the victim told him he was 18, though he suspected the victim was perhaps younger, such as 16 or 17 years old, Myers said. Court documents indicate Wright told investigators the sexual contact occurred only once on July 11.
Search warrants were executed at the motel and for Wright’s vehicle, and Myers said evidence collected early indicated Wright drove to Hoquiam to meet the victim for sex.
“Detectives were not convinced the suspect believed the victim was actually over the age of 18, especially after learning the suspect has education as a child psychologist,” said Myers.
The post by the Kent School District did not mention what crime the employee had been accused of.
“This person has served as an agency employee in our district and was recently hired on June 12, 2019 for the upcoming school year as a psychologist. Based on information about this individual, Kent School District (KSD) is taking immediate steps to terminate this employee and has taken steps to restrict all access of this individual to KSD campuses, staff, and students,” the statement read.
“This is an ongoing legal process and we cannot comment on the specifics of the case. Please know we have taken appropriate steps necessary to ensure student safety and to honor the privacy rights of those who may be impacted by this situation.
“The safety of every child in our district is our number one priority. We will continue working in cooperation with law enforcement, and with our principals, staff and families to provide information and support as needed.”
A manager in the communications department at the Kent School District said the statement would be the only information released.
Investigative tips can be directed to Hoquiam detective David Peterson at 360-532-0892 extension 276, or email dpeterson@cityofhoquiam.com.
