Attorney: 'The truth of what happened will come out'
PROSSER, Wash. -- Former Prosser Mayor Linda Lusk will plead not guilty to the felony charge of child molestation in the third-degree, her attorney said.
Lusk, a Tyee High School graduate, is accused of sexting and having sexual relations with a 14-year-old boy.
The allegations surfaced after Lusk herself contacted the boy's mother and informed her of the relationship Lusk her self described as "inappropriate," according to the request for a protection order against the former mayor.
But her attorney said there's more to the story.
"Linda has a story to tell, and I think it's pretty compelling story to tell. And some day, her version will be told. Now's not the time, but the truth of what happened will come out," said attorney Scott Johnson.
Johnson refused to elaborate as the investigation is ongoing.
"There's a lot of rumor and innuendo, but I can tell you 99 percent of that is just untrue," he said. "Once all the investigation is done and once Linda gets a chance to tell her side, the actual truth will come out."
According to the statement of probable cause, the boy was questioned by his parents after they heard from Lusk.
"She stated to me that she had grown very fond of my son over the past few years, and that he was a very great kid," the victim's mother wrote in the request for a protection order. "She informed me they had been texting each other for quite some time, and it had really gotten out of hand the past few months. She told me that it was inappropriate on her part and that she was sick to her stomach."
The boy told his parents "he had been exchanging texts with the defendant for a period of time," and that she had "sent him one text with a picture of herself partially undressed," the statement said.
The boy said he "went to defendant's house during his lunch hour on an early release day" in April.
"The juvenile, the 14-year-old boy, went to the defendant's house, she brought him into the bedroom and had sexual contact at that time," said Benton County Prosecutor Andy Miller.
Lusk was questioned by police and prosecutors on Thursday; however, she has not been arrested. She is scheduled to be arraigned next week.
Lusk, a Tyee High School graduate, is accused of sexting and having sexual relations with a 14-year-old boy.
The allegations surfaced after Lusk herself contacted the boy's mother and informed her of the relationship Lusk her self described as "inappropriate," according to the request for a protection order against the former mayor.
But her attorney said there's more to the story.
"Linda has a story to tell, and I think it's pretty compelling story to tell. And some day, her version will be told. Now's not the time, but the truth of what happened will come out," said attorney Scott Johnson.
Johnson refused to elaborate as the investigation is ongoing.
"There's a lot of rumor and innuendo, but I can tell you 99 percent of that is just untrue," he said. "Once all the investigation is done and once Linda gets a chance to tell her side, the actual truth will come out."
According to the statement of probable cause, the boy was questioned by his parents after they heard from Lusk.
"She stated to me that she had grown very fond of my son over the past few years, and that he was a very great kid," the victim's mother wrote in the request for a protection order. "She informed me they had been texting each other for quite some time, and it had really gotten out of hand the past few months. She told me that it was inappropriate on her part and that she was sick to her stomach."
The boy told his parents "he had been exchanging texts with the defendant for a period of time," and that she had "sent him one text with a picture of herself partially undressed," the statement said.
The boy said he "went to defendant's house during his lunch hour on an early release day" in April.
"The juvenile, the 14-year-old boy, went to the defendant's house, she brought him into the bedroom and had sexual contact at that time," said Benton County Prosecutor Andy Miller.
Lusk was questioned by police and prosecutors on Thursday; however, she has not been arrested. She is scheduled to be arraigned next week.