Sex offender sentenced to life in prison for rape

A Vancouver sex offender who raped a woman at knifepoint was sentenced Friday to life in prison without parole, under Washington’s Persistent Offender Accountability Act.

Jeremiah A. Teas, 40, was found guilty by a Clark County Superior Court jury in September of first-degree rape, as well as using a deadly weapon in the commission of the crime. He threatened and assaulted a Vancouver woman Oct. 5, 2016, at her apartment after responding to an online ad for massage services.

At trial, Teas denied attacking the woman or having sex with her.

Teas is classified as a Level 2 sex offender, based on convictions from 1997 and 1998 for third-degree assault with sexual motivation and first-degree child molestation, respectively.

Senior Deputy Prosecutor Kasey Vu told the judge Friday that Teas has a long history of sex crimes.

“He clearly has not stopped. He’s clearly a dangerous individual,” Vu said.

Teas’ defense attorney, Gregg Schile, disagreed and said that his client’s earlier crimes occurred decades ago and that he maintains his innocence in the rape case. Teas plans to appeal his conviction.

The victim was not present for the sentencing, and Teas declined to make a statement to the court.

Judge Scott Collier told Teas that he can’t deviate from the law, which mandates the life sentence. In addition to the sentence, Collier ordered that Teas undergo sex offender treatment.