While sentencing a Spokane man to spend life in prison without parole for raping a 9-year-old boy, Judge Scott Collier said he was waiting to hear one thing from the defendant. But he didn’t hear it.
“I hear nothing of remorse on your part,” he said.
Remorse wouldn’t have mattered, however.
Carsie J. Tikka, 38, already had one class A sex offense on his criminal history and because of the Persistent Offender Accountability Act, Tikka’s recent conviction comes with a mandatory life prison sentence.
The case began Jan. 6 when Vancouver police were called to Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center to pick up a sexual assault kit. Officers were notified that the victim had told medical staff he had been raped three times by Tikka between Jan. 1 and Jan. 5, while visiting a residence in northwest Vancouver, according to a probable cause affidavit in the case.
Tikka was reportedly a friend of the victim’s family.
In an interview, the boy said the first time something happened between him and Tikka was when he was 8 years old and that Tikka had molested him on more than one occasion, the affidavit said.
The case went to trial in February in Clark County Superior Court, and Tikka was convicted of two counts of first-degree child rape and two counts of first-degree child molestation, all with aggravating circumstances for abuse of trust. Aggravators allow a judge to sentence outside the standard sentencing range.
Tikka’s criminal history includes attempted first-degree child molestation, communication with a minor for immoral purposes and attempted voyeurism, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Kristine Foerster said.
She called Tikka an “egregious danger to society.”
“The defendant is exactly the type of person the persistent offender act was created for,” Foerster said.
When given his chance to address the court, Tikka read a list of issues he had with a presentencing investigation report, at many points claiming that the person writing the report had lied.
He also read excerpts from the Bible, saying that his sins have been washed away, before offering forgiveness to nearly everyone in the courtroom for lies and vindictiveness, including the judge.
“I pray that you retire and give up your robe to someone more deserving of your title,” Tikka said to Collier.
Once Tikka was done, Collier addressed him.
“I think these comments are reflective of why the legislature has done what it has done,” Collier said, in respect to the persistent offender act. “You clearly by your statement here are not remorseful. You put the blame on everyone else and take no responsibility.”
