Cave Junction man pleads guilty to rape after multiple victims come forward

MEDFORD, Ore. — Just one day after pleading guilty to rape charges in Josephine County court, a Cave Junction man pleaded guilty for a separate rape case in Jackson County on Friday.

According to the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office, 45-year-old Kristopher Patton first came under investigation in July of 2019 from Oregon State Police and the Southern Oregon High Tech Crimes Task Force.

That month a victim came forward in Josephine County, telling a family member that Patton had sexually abused her the night before. The admission prompted another family member to come forward, who told police that she also had been abused by Patton.

“Although not blood-related, the victims considered Patton to be a family member,” the DA’s Office said.

An investigation by OSP detectives found three other victims with similar accusations. They also had considered Patton to be a family member, and had spent year with him while growing up, the DA’s Office said.

All three of the new victims said that the abuse had lasted over a matter of years. At least one said that Patton had given her alcohol before he forcibly raped her, according to the DA’s Office.

Another victim had tried to tell family members, “but she was dismissed and told not to lie.”

“Patton would threaten to hurt the victim’s family members if they told, and would often buy them gifts or treats after abusing them,” the DA’s Office said.

During the investigation, the High Tech Crimes Task Force unearthed a number of digital images of child exploitation.

On Friday, Patton pleaded guilty to two counts of Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the Fire Degree and one count of Rape in the First Degree in Jackson County Circuit Court. The day before, he pleaded guilty to one count of Rape in the First Degree, Using a Child in a Display of Sexually Explicit Conduct, and two counts of Sex Abuse in the First Degree in the Josephine County Circuit Court.

Patton was sentenced to 30 years in prison with lifetime post-prison supervision, a lifetime sex offender registration. He will not earn time off for good behavior or be eligible for early release programs due to the nature of his crimes.

The DA’s Office said that Patton has been in the Josephine County Jail since September 5, and he wll receive credit for time served in jail.