A Sequim man received an 18-year (216 month) sentence in prison on Aug. 11 in Clallam County Superior Court for the rape of a child relative.

Anthony Ray Brownfield, 54, was found guilty of three counts of Rape of a Child in the First Degree on July 12 after three days of testimony.

Judge Lauren Erickson said Brownfield’s actions were “appalling” before she ruled for the maximum recommended sentence from the Department of Justice.

His release would be conditional to the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board (ISRB) for his rape convictions as the quasi-judicial board may opt to keep him in prison longer, or for life.

Erickson said her sentencing decision was appropriate as Brownfield had no known further criminal activity following the offenses with the relative, and his release is subject to the ISRB.

She also ordered no contact in any capacity with the relative for life.

If released, Brownfield will be on community custody for life, and must register as a sex offender.

Clallam County deputy prosecutor Matthew Roberson sought an exceptional sentence of 25 years (300 months) as the jury determined there were aggravating factors where the victim was vulnerable and sustained a prolonged pattern of sexual abuse.

“He preyed on [the family member] for years,” he said. “It only stopped because a child made a decision to stop seeing a close family member … His conduct resulted in emotional and physical harm to a child who carried it into adulthood.”

Scars

At sentencing, the family member, now an adult, spoke directly to Brownfield with a few people beside her in support. She said, “this has been a long time coming” as his actions “left deeper wounds with deeper scars.”

“The only future I saw for myself was one with a rope,” the survivor said.

She added that “trauma has played a major role in my life. Something I’ll have to work on the rest of my life.”

The family member encouraged Brownfield to seek mental health treatment and told him, “you are sick.”

She said, “I knew I could not keep holding onto this generational curse. I had to break this curse because I could never let this happen to my children.

“I thought for a long time it was my fault and you let other people think it was my fault … you were the adult and you knew better.”

She ended saying she’s “learning how to forgive myself” and that she loves and forgives him.

According to the Peninsula Daily News, the woman initially accused Brownfield of molestation and rape in 2016 but didn’t proceed with charges.

She did proceed with charges in 2019 with the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, and messages between her and Brownfield were obtained in 2020 by detectives where he is documented apologizing for his actions.

Law enforcement reported that Brownfield first raped his relative in 2002 when she was 5. Brownfield told detectives, which was played via recording in trial, that he sexually abused his relative 30-50 times, and was hallucinating from drug use.

The family member said Brownfield would have her recreate adult magazine scenes, and when she was 8, she realized his actions were wrong. She testified in trial about two other incidents, as well.

As the family member survivor spoke, Brownfield kept his head down and hands on his head. He later apologized to his family “for the embarrassment I caused” and the “pain I caused [his relative].”

Brownfield’s defense attorney Alex Stalker asked Erickson for the low-end sentence of 13½ years (162 months) as his last crime was 17 years ago, he had healthy adult relationships with people in that span, it’s unlikely he’d re-offend if released, and the ISRB would still have to determine if he could be released.

Brownfield’s parents spoke on behalf of their son during the sentence hearing about his deeds in the community, such as saving a friend in a boating incident and helping strangers without thought.

His mother apologized to their relative, saying they were “sorry for the pain and suffering she endured in silence for so many years.”

“We thought we provided her a safe place to live, and we had no idea this was going on,” Brownfield’s mother said.

Roberson said what the young woman went through was traumatic.

“Her decision to move this forward, that in itself was traumatic knowing she had to relive those experiences with complete strangers and put a dividing line in her family,” he said.

“He dehumanized a 5-year-old girl and turned her into just a thing for sexual needs.”