A Blaine man has pleaded guilty in Whatcom County Superior Court to raping a child between the ages of 12 and 14 years old over the course of two years.
Adam Joshua Mather, 41, pled guilty on January 16 to two counts of second-degree child rape. Court records show Mather’s plea deal amended down two additional charges of second-degree child rape and two charges of third-degree child rape.
Based on the crime and Mather's criminal history, Mather faces a standard sentencing range of 8.5 to 11.3 years in prison, though he could serve up to life in prison, according to court records.
On May 4, 2021, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) responded to Birch Bay man who called 911 to report his 17-year-old daughter had been raped from the ages of 12 to 15, according to the affidavit of probable cause (APC). The daughter told the responding WCSO deputy that Mather, who was a family friend, had sexually abused her about a hundred times.
The girl told WCSO about incidents where Mather assaulted her. In one incident, the girl told Mather to stop, but he didn’t, and then Mather told the girl not to tell anyone because he would get in trouble. The girl said she gave up fighting Mather after she turned 13.
The girl said Mather appeared at her window around 4:30 a.m. January 22, 2019 and began telling her what to wear, according to court records. The girl told Mather to never come back and that she would tell her parents what he had done if he returned. She never saw or heard from him after, according to the APC.
When the girl’s parents told Mather that they no longer wanted him around, he told them he would "wait until she was 18 to see her," according to court records.
The girl was approaching her 18th birthday when she reported the assaults, and told law enforcement she was having sleep, appetite and anxiety issues because she was afraid Mather would hurt her.
WCSO arrested Mather a day after the report, on May 5, 2021, according to Whatcom County Jail booking data. He was released on a $15,000 bond the next day.
Mather is scheduled to be sentenced in Whatcom County Superior Court on March 14.
If you or someone you know is affected by domestic or sexual violence, the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services (DVSAS) 24-hour hotline is available at 360/715-1563 or 877/715-1563.
Brigid Collins Family Support Center, a Bellingham-based nonprofit working to end child abuse, can be reached at 360/734-4616 and brigidcollins.org.
Lummi Victims of Crime has a 24-hour helpline at 360/312-2015.
The National Domestic Violence Helpline operates a chat line at thehotline.org/help.
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