Woman who trained at Damascus Christian convicted of sexually abusing a student

Mulino woman who helped coach the Damascus Christian School girls basketball team was sentenced last week to 18 months in prison for years of sexual abuse of a teenage girl who played on the team.

Court records show Rachel Wakefield, 55, pleaded guilty Clackamas County District Court on three counts of second-degree sexual abuse against a student she coached.

The sentence stems from allegations of molestation that occurred between January 2013 and June 2017. Wakefield was accused along with her husband, David Wakefield. The case against 60-year-old David Wakefield is ongoing; He has a hearing scheduled for April 8.

David Wakefield is charged with 20 counts of second-degree sexual abuse.

David Wakefield coached the girls basketball team for over 500 games and 15 seasons, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported in 2016, while his wife he served as a “co-trainer”.

Clackamas County Deputy District Attorney Grace Rigsby said Rachel Wakefield “initiated an emotional and sexual relationship” with the high school student that lasted for several years. Rigsby said the victim participated in the hearing by telephone and her family members spoke on her behalf in court.

Wakefield will serve three and a half years of post-sentence probation and will be required to register as a sex offender under the terms of her plea agreement.

Wakefield was detained at the end of the hearing last Wednesday. Her attorney, Zachary Stern, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

— Noelle Crombie is a crime reporter. Contact her at 503-276-7184; ncrombie@oregonian.

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