Sex offender heads to jail, not college

KENT - He was a small-town youth with sandy hair and braces, on the brink of college and independence.

But instead of taking aviation-science classes at the University of North Dakota this fall, Jesse Norling - Eagle Scout, pilot, computer whiz and former Enumclaw High School band member - will be in prison.

Yesterday, King County Superior Court Judge Nicole MacInnes sentenced Norling, 18, to 93 months in prison, almost eight years, for first-degree child rape of a 7-year-old girl and two counts of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.

But there are likely 14 girls who, to varying degrees, Norling inappropriately touched or sexually assaulted, said the clinical psychologist who spent three months assessing Norling. Most of the victims were small children - at least two of whom he met while working as a lifeguard at the community swimming pool.

As victims' families sobbed, Norling and his family and friends cried, too, and pleaded for treatment rather than prison.

But prison sex-offender treatment programs have long waiting lists, and those with the highest risk of reoffending and nearest their release date get priority.

Art Gordon, director of sex-offender programs at the Twin Rivers Corrections Center in Monroe, confirmed that the waiting list for treatment is so long it's possible Norling may not get treatment until near the end of his sentence.

With a 93-month sentence, "We won't even think about him for 80 of those," Gordon said.

Many people, including his band teacher, ministers and friends of the family, wrote to MacInnes, asking that Norling be sentenced to a program under the Special Sex Offender Sentencing Act, which would allow him to live in the community while undergoing treatment.

Even Ronald Weiss, the psychologist who assessed him, recommended treatment under the act, and said Norling was at a higher risk of reoffending than most people who are granted the treatment.

Norling came to the attention of police last August, after he went to a home to fix a computer. While there, he pulled a 7-year-old girl into a bedroom and sexually assaulted her.

He was arrested and released on $10,000 bail. His parents were ordered to keep him under 24-hour surveillance and not allow him to be around any children. A few months later, more charges were filed. Those involved a November 1998 incident during which he inappropriately touched 4- and 6-year-old sisters at the swimming pool.

He pleaded guilty to all three charges several months ago.

"It's a tragic situation for everyone," MacInnes told the families. "If we have an offender for whom 24-hour supervision is necessary, that person should not be in the community."

Jim Lobsenz, Norling's attorney, argued that a prison sentence may mean that Norling himself may become a victim of assault. And without treatment, he could be released with a greater sexual deviancy problem than he now has.