Mark pleads guilty to multiple sex crimes against young girls

Republic man sentenced to 25 years behind bars
 
A Republic man pleaded guilty to 18 sex crimes involving two minor-aged girls on Friday, Oct. 23, as part of a plea bargain. Richard Douglass Mark, 64, was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to the charges.

The terms of the agreement
According to court documents, Mark pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree statutory rape, 12 counts of first-degree child molestation, one count of first-degree statutory sodomy, two counts of enticement of a child and two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor child. Mark was given 15 years for the statutory rape charge and 10 years for the statutory sodomy charge, with the sentences to run consecutively but concurrently to all the other charges. His sentences for the other charges ranged from as short as five years for each of the enticement charges to as long as 25 years for the exploitation charges. The crimes took place between Aug. 30, 2017 and Nov. 2, 2019.

Mark abused girls, used offers of “expensive things” and threats to keep them quiet
Two probable cause statements, both redacted, were filed in the case. In the first probable cause statement, the investigator reported that the victims, two girls who were both under the age of 12 at the time the alleged abuse began, reported during a forensic interview that Mark would come into their bedroom at night when they were sleeping and touch them inappropriately. They said they tried to keep him out by locking the door and barricading it, but he would still get in. They also reported that Mark had them touch him inappropriately, offered them “expensive things,” money or food in return for sexual favors, and threatened at least one of them to keep her quiet.
According to the second probable cause statement, a person was reported to have found pornographic material on Mark’s cellphone. The person said they spoke with one of the girls, who said they could “watch porn” with Mark and also said he had both girls touch him inappropriately.
Later, at another forensic interview, the girls each reported Mark played “dark tag,” with them, which was described as “hide and seek in the dark.” During the game, they said, Mark would take his pants down and make them touch him inappropriately.
During the interview, the girls described the sexual acts Mark allegedly performed on them, and the acts he allegedly had them perform on him, both at his residence and at his workplace. The girls also reported Mark threatened the girls that they would “get beat” if they told anyone about the abuse, and he would “hurt them if they told their parents,” so they were too afraid to tell anybody about it. One of the girls also said Mark would wash both girls’ clothes before he sent them home.
At least 85-percent of sentence to be served
Under state law, Mark must serve at least 85-percent of his sentence, of 21 years and three months, before he can be released. As of press time, he was still in the custody of the Greene County Jail, where he has been since his arrest on Nov. 4, 2019. His time spent in the Greene County Jail will be credited to his sentence. By the time he leaves prison, Mark will be at least 84 years old.