Update: Charges in this case were dismissed on Dec. 13, 2022. In a statement, defense attorney Angus Lee said: “In the past, prosecutors would not file charges until the investigation was completed and the accusation shown to have at least some degree of credibility. This case is another example of the new charge first and investigate later approach that is becoming more common in the criminal justice system.”
A Cowlitz County court official who until recently oversaw youth detention for the county was charged Wednesday with raping a child about a decade ago, according to documents filed in Cowlitz County Superior Court.
Chadwick Michael Connors, the court administrator overseeing the daily operations of the courthouse, was first placed on leave in February this year according to reporting by The Daily News in Longview. Connors has worked for the county for years and, as part of his role, oversaw the Cowlitz Youth Services Center, a small youth-detention facility. Until last year, that facility also had a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to house undocumented teens.
Connors faces two counts of rape of a child in the first degree and two counts of incest in the first degree. The allegations are not connected to his work at the youth detention facility.
Prosecutors allege in court documents that Connors assaulted a then 9-year-old relative around 2009-11. The young woman reported the abuse to law enforcement in February this year and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, according to charging documents.
In a statement, the Angus Lee Law Firm that represents Connors said, “The allegations in this matter are not at all credible and are not corroborated by any evidence.”
The Lewis County Prosecuting Attorney Jonathan Meyer was appointed as a special deputy prosecutor on the case, to minimize conflict due to Connors’ prominent position in Cowlitz County.
Connors’ next court date is scheduled for May 4.