John R. Farris, 49, was given a 90-day jail sentence. Farris allegedly preyed on a child beginning in 2006 when she was 14 years old. The victim said in an interview that he continued to groom her throughout high school. Farris was released from Inverness Jail in Northeast Portland last week after pleading guilty in late February to three counts of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor. He will be on probation for five years and is required to register as a sex offender.
Judge Greenlick zeroed in on Farris’ word choice during the sentencing hearing, noting that the former auto repair businessman had called his actions a “mistake.” The judge did not believe that what Farris did was simply a mistake. The woman said the sentence of jail time brought tears of relief to her eyes. Now she hopes other survivors will hear her story.
The woman is now 30. She said the abuse poisoned her relationships and forced her to repress most of her memories of high school. She was reported to have kept it a secret for years. She entered therapy and told her family during the process. Also, she found out that the case fell within the statute of limitations.
About 95% of child sex abuse cases aren’t immediately disclosed, with reporting often taking months, years or even decades. Washington County Senior Deputy District Attorney Andy Pulver prosecuted the case to avoid a potential conflict of interest in Multnomah County.
Plea deals are only a recommended sentence. The actual punishment is ultimately up to the judge. Farris had spent more than a month in jail before posting bail after his arrest in 2019. Farris’ attorney Barry Engle asked Multnomah County Circuit Judge Michael Greenlick to sentence Farris to time served.
Farris expressed remorse in the courtroom, and in a statement relayed by his attorney said he had “taken responsibility and have publicly apologized for my poor judgment” and sincerely hopes that the woman heals.
Greenlick responded that, “This is not just a mistake, as you put it,” Greenlick said. “This was a series of actions over many years where you had hundreds of opportunities to evaluate your conduct.”
