A former Multnomah County sheriff’s deputy on Friday entered a fifth-floor courtroom where he’d once escorted countless criminal offenders, but this time he was the defendant.

Dwight David Richey originally was accused of sexually abusing an acquaintance by having intercourse with her without her consent, but instead pleaded no contest to felony coercion for the off-duty encounter and was convicted.

Richey, 49 and a longtime deputy assigned to the Multnomah County Courthouse, was sentenced to three years of probation as part of a plea agreement.

The investigation of Richey in the case revealed that he also had sexual intercourse or sexual contact with several women at the courthouse behind locked doors, including in a jury room. But investigators determined the sexual activity was consensual, and Richey wasn’t charged in those encounters.

His victim stood in court and told Richey that he needs to understand how wrong he was on the night of May 11, 2017, when the woman said she pushed him away, ran upstairs in an attempt to flee and cried as he sexually assaulted her at a friend’s home.

“Announcing I’m leaving while I’m sobbing,” the woman said, “it actually means ‘no.’ It doesn’t mean ‘Convince me' ... or force yourself in my body.”

The woman said Richey treated her body “like a piece of trash.”

Based on the woman’s report to police, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office launched an extensive investigation. Although Richey was charged with attacking the woman in Multnomah County, Washington County investigators took on the case to avoid any conflicts of interest.

Sheriff’s Detective Robert Rookhuyzen said his office cast a wide net by interviewing co-workers, judicial assistants, clerks and even a judge who worked with Richey at the courthouse. While Richey didn’t face prosecution for having sex on the job, Rookhuyzen said the situation raised concerns about professionalism and safety at the courthouse.

“He wears a radio and a badge and a gun, and if there’s an emergency to respond to, he has his pants down,” Rookhuyzen said.

Dwight Richey (left) listens to his victim speak about the trauma he's caused in her life during a hearing on Friday, Dec. 14, 2018. Next to him is defense attorney Russ Barnett. Multnomah County Circuit Judge Eric Bergstrom is in the background.

Richey was charged only in the encounter at the private home. He was originally accused of nine counts of second-degree sexual abuse, third-degree sexual abuse and harassment.

In pleading no contest to felony coercion, Richey admitted enough evidence existed to convict him of compelling the woman “to engage in conduct” from which she had “a legal right to abstain.” Coercion is not a sex crime.

Prosecutor Shannon Sullivan said the woman had gone to the home of her ex-boyfriend to house-sit. The woman and her ex-boyfriend had remained friends after their break-up.

Richey was close friends with the woman’s ex-boyfriend, and when he showed up at the home and found her there, he asked to watch a movie and started making advances toward her, said Sullivan, who works for the Oregon Department of Justice.

Sullivan explained why her office agreed to a plea deal and not to bring the case to trial.

“There’s no doubt that (the victim) did not want this to happen to her,” Sullivan said. “But as I’ve explained to her: When we go to trial, I have to prove that Mr. Richey knew that.”

Sullivan said the victim didn’t initially report what happened to her, but ultimately did weeks later after talking to a friend, who urged her to call police.

“She thought rape or sexual abuse had to be a very violent act,” Sullivan said.

In a statement that the victim read aloud, she said she had trusted Richey because of his friendship with her ex-boyfriend and because he was a deputy. But what he did to her that night “completely changed me. Oftentimes, I don’t recognize myself, my thoughts or my actions.”

The woman said she has been diagnosed with severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. She has had anxiety attacks.

“I basically didn’t sleep the first year, and when I did I (had) nightmares,” she said. “Rape nightmares. Falling to my death nightmares. Dwight coming into my house and murdering someone and forcing me to clean up the blood nightmares. Dwight trapping me in cars nightmares.”

Former Multnomah County Sheriff's Deputy Dwight Richey.

After the woman was done speaking, Richey stood up and turned to the woman. He said her name and “I’m sorry.”

In addition to three years of probation, Richey must complete 240 hours of community service and continue with counseling sessions he’s been attending. He also must surrender his law-enforcement certification.

-- Aimee Green

agreen@oregonian.com

o_aimee