Sex offender pleads not guilty to molesting girl in library
KENT, Wash. - A registered sex offender pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges that he grabbed an 11-year-old girl and groped her in a public library bathroom.
Travis M. Lear, 25, allegedly attacked the girl Jan. 30 at the Enumclaw Public Library. The King County Superior Court judge ordered him held on $1 million bail.
Lear faces a charge of first-degree child molestation in the case. Prosecutors also filed notice of a special allegation that provides for a longer, mandatory 25-year sentence if a jury finds that the sexual assault was a predatory offense.
Lear reportedly said "he just couldn't help himself" when he allegedly attacked the girl, who was waiting for her father in the car when Lear allegedly grabbed her and dragged her into the library.
Police said he took the girl into a bathroom and locked the door. Inside, he told the girl he could not control his urges, investigators said, and as he groped her, threatened to kill her if she screamed.
After the incident, the man ran out the door, but was captured on surveillance cameras. Police recognized the man on the video footage, and tracked him to his mother's house.
Lear pleaded guilty to child rape in 2008 for having sex with a 14-year-old victim.
Travis M. Lear, 25, allegedly attacked the girl Jan. 30 at the Enumclaw Public Library. The King County Superior Court judge ordered him held on $1 million bail.
Lear faces a charge of first-degree child molestation in the case. Prosecutors also filed notice of a special allegation that provides for a longer, mandatory 25-year sentence if a jury finds that the sexual assault was a predatory offense.
Lear reportedly said "he just couldn't help himself" when he allegedly attacked the girl, who was waiting for her father in the car when Lear allegedly grabbed her and dragged her into the library.
Police said he took the girl into a bathroom and locked the door. Inside, he told the girl he could not control his urges, investigators said, and as he groped her, threatened to kill her if she screamed.
After the incident, the man ran out the door, but was captured on surveillance cameras. Police recognized the man on the video footage, and tracked him to his mother's house.
Lear pleaded guilty to child rape in 2008 for having sex with a 14-year-old victim.
disgusting pig
Yep, he's the "victim". Sounds like another Liberal.
I bet I could fix him so he could "control his urges" no problem.
And I hope he does get the 25 years.
Castrate the b*st*rd too.
Have no fear Seattledoms! It's his second offense and under the 2 strikes law he will get a life sentence. So put your pitch forks down and let the law we voted for 10 years ago run it's course.
@fumblefacedolt ...not if he pleads out...it will not count as a second strike and this animal will be free to resume his preying on society. Can I pick up my torch now?
before we have this guy tried and burned at the proverbial stake, i think we need to acknowlegdge inherent responsibility on the part of state of WA for allowing porn to be viewed in our public libraries. if i were the parents i would sue the state and if needed would make a federal case out of it.
@jennieb I don't disagree with your point. However in this case that isn't what happened. This POS lives across the street from the library and is not allowed to go near the library due to his supervision restrictions. He was TOLD by his DOC supervisor not to go and he went, saw this poor little girl sitting in her dad's car, and committed this crime. In this case it had nothing to do with viewing porn on the library's computers.
While I am all for getting rid of the porn in the Library that is no excuse for this POS. You are supporting him by blaming something else.
@jennieb DISLIKE!Â
@jennieb Really? You think it's the library's fault that this animal molested an 11 year old girl in the restroom? I guess you also think it's ok for men to rape women who wear revealing clothing too? You do realize rape is not about sex, it's about having power over the victim. Maybe you need to get some education on the subject.
@justmyopinion @jennieb It's nobody's fault but his, but I agree with jennieb, viewing pornography at the same place where kids are checking out books is not normal in any shape or form. This is exactly what liberalism leads to, you progress far enough and eventually develop a mental disorder that brainwashes you to the point where you allow pornography in libraries and at the same time get rid of cameras from libraries.
If this sex offender is guilty of this sex offense then max him out in every way plus possible.
@George Agree! I think we should first castrate him though :)
Give it enough time and this will be legal.  After all, we have legalized other "sexual preferences" that just a short time ago the majority found extremely distasteful.  What a sad, sad time we live in.
@S4tran You have serious problem. Two consenting adults is nothing like victimizing children. But you're not going to be able to figure that out with your limited ability to reason so just keep talking and prove to the world what a fool you are.
It is obvious, you are a gay sex-offender yourself and are desperate to convince yourself you are not.
@S4tran
You take this story of a pervert molesting a little girl in a library and somehow have to tie it to same-sex marriage? You're pathetic. Sex between consenting adults has nothing to do with this.Â
Of course after all there is no such thing as NAMBLA and an ACLU defending them. Keep your head deep in that sand and tell yourself all is fine.
@terrwilliker Easy there.  Didn't say or imply I agreed with it.  Stating historical fact.  Does not matter consenting adults or not.  My comment was based on what was/is considered acceptable today vs a sort time ago.  The fact that you seem totally OK with something that is now legal and "in your face"that was not even generally talked about 35 yrs ago screams.  Same sex marriages are OK, we have legalized a drug that the government has spend 40 yrs plus telling us was bad/evil.  It is not a far fetched stretch to imagine that what we consider to be repulsive today will become acceptable in the future, in even less time as we, as a society "accept" as normal those things that a short time ago were taboo.  If you cannot accept the idea/hypothesis, fine.  But don't take it out on those of us who choose to see reality as it is.
Yep, soon you will be able to go to a fast food place and order barbeque Baby, because obviously because when one thing that formerly taboo becomes acceptable, that means every possible horrible thing you can imagine will eventually become mainstream given enough time. This is your logic, no?
How about mandatory castration? Cheaper than a long prison sentence and fixes the problem.Â
@Greg Baker - does it really? One doesn't need a penis to rape with. People have raped with utensils of all types.
It's a damn shame that it will take another girl's life traumatized for the third strike to set in, then with good behavior in prison, cause there are no little girls in prison, and he should be "re-habilitated" and ready for release...Â
This is where I say to any anti-capital punishment douchebag that you are as morally corrupt and evil as these sickos are.Â
Sure a lot of potential killers posting on here. Hope their dreams of killing don't manifest into reality.
@Klondiko Castration isn't killing.
He is going to keep saying not guilty until he gets a deal that he likes. He knows the state is not going to want to spend money on a trial, and that they will keep giving him better deals to avoid going through one.Â
So, this disgusting piece of trash said he couldn't help himself? Well sir, what if I tell you I couldn't help myself but to pull the trigger between your eyes...does that make it excusable for me to follow through with my actions? Lock this freak up for good. I wish we could just euthanize creeps like this. Obviously, incarcerating him didn't help the first time. There needs to be harsher punishments for 'helpless' fools like him.
Woodswalker pretty much said it. You can't "help" these guys no matter how much "rehabilitation" you give them. For them, it's a sexual preference. Sorta like telling a straight person they can't like women (or men), or telling someone gay they can't like their significant other. Â
"he just couldnt help himself"?
His re-offending is further proof that Sex offenders simply cannot be rewired.
Maybe a stroll on the air would help with that. Rope, Tree, Sex offender....some assembly required.
A registered sex offender pleading not guilty? Yeah good luck with that one pal!
Let the victim's family get ahold of him......
@The WA Mama - wouldn't it be grand if they could? Lock him and the girls family, armed with baseball bats, chains, whatever and him with nothing. I think this would be cheaper.
If anything, this proves that sex offenders don't change. Burn them all. They will never change.Â
Nice try buddy, please drop the soap when you are in prison.
This is an example of the sick pukes that we protect their rights to view porn openly in our libraries. Rehabilitate my ass, incarcerate.
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Seattle-libraries-No-sleeping-or-eating-allowed-2941216.php
@al_wa  i suggest that we have separate rooms in public libraries for those who wish to view porn. that way no one is offended. Elmo's may be put out of business, but here in WA we do have rights.
@jennieb @al_wa This might sound crazy, how about encourage people to study, learn, do productive things at a library instead of degrade their minds with filth? At what point to we say , no, its not ok to let people do what they want, whent they want, where they want it, DON'T encourage people to do whatever they want, "if it makes you feel good, do it" type of mentality.
I do not understand for the life of me how some people think they have the right to hurt a child. I am not a violent man but I sure would be if I walked in on something like this.
I say cut off ALL his appendages. That way he can use them to molest innocent and vulnerable children.
Like in most Washington state sex pervert stories we'll be hearing about him again in a few years...
@Windowseat Pff...you mean 10 days.
Lock him up for life? Bull.  I for one do not like the idea of having to support this person due to his uncontrollable urges. Execute him. The sooner the better.
@izwideopen Ya, that will happen. Although I agree with you "execute him. The sooner the better."
if i can't have freedom of speech here i guess i might as well start reading the news at KING tv website.
@32jim2 Freedom of speech doesn't apply on a privately held corporation's website bud.....your 1A rights end at the header of the page. Besides that the only reason you may be getting delayed is if you are using language that might be offensive...I have received a hold on my comments only to realize it was because of language. They have the filters turned up to the max here.
@32jim2Â You can't haz free speech here.Â
@32jim2, Control your urges.
Like he said, he can't help himself. We need to help him by putting him where he can't give in to his urges. That is our responsibility.
@Willow Ya, in a coffin.