PORTLAND, Ore. (TCN) — A 43-year-old man has been sentenced to 22 years in prison in connection with attacks on four women in March.
According to the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, Judson Defir entered a church on March 15 and grabbed a woman’s breast; she was there attending a service with her children. After this attack, Defir went into a home nearby where a woman was inside with her 10-month-old baby and 3-year-old child. Her husband was working in the yard at the time, and she heard a male voice that she did not recognize say, “Honey, I’m here.”
According to the DA, Defir entered the room where the unnamed victim was with her two children. She was holding her baby and tried to shield her older child behind her when Defir grabbed her and pulled her out of the room. Defir forced the woman into a guest bedroom as she held her baby and pulled her sweatpants down. Per the DA, he was exerting force onto her as she held the baby, causing pressure to be put on the baby.
The woman and her baby escaped when Defir loosened his grip. She barricaded herself and her children in a room by putting a bookshelf against the door and screamed for her husband from the balcony as Defir tried to force his way in. He then fled the home and once outside, he sexually assaulted one woman and tried to grab another in addition to exposing himself.
Police arrived and multiple people from the church confirmed that Defir was the suspect in question. He was arrested immediately; police had received multiple reports of assault. According to the DA, he was charged with first-degree kidnapping, attempted first-degree rape, three counts of first-degree sexual abuse, attempted first-degree sexual abuse, public indecency, and recklessly endangering another person.
KPTV reports Defir pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree sexual abuse and pleaded no contest to the other charges. His defense attorneys stated Defir was under the influence of methamphetamine during the attacks and does not remember very much from that day.
KPTV reports that in court on June 18, Defir said, “I’m sorry, I wish I could change the past, but I can’t. I can only change the future.”
Law & Crime reports that his attorney, Elizabeth Wolozin, said, “This incident was horrifying and extremely sobering for him. Mr. Defir is extremely motivated to never touch methamphetamine again.”
The victim who was attacked while holding her baby spoke in court and said, “You had a smile on your face as you attacked me, you smiled as my 3-year-old daughter screamed for her mommy, and watched as you ripped her baby sister and her mother away from her,” according to KPTV.
He was sentenced June 18 to 22 years in prison, according to the DA.
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