A Marysville man who groomed and sexually abused his girlfriend’s young daughter for years will spend over a year in prison.
Michael Hill was sentenced to 13 months behind bars in Clallam County Superior Court on Friday, Nov. 14, following a conviction of third-degree rape of a child. The sentence includes 36 months of community custody, and Hill must register as a sex offender.
According to prosecutors, the abuse began when the girl was six or seven years old and continued into her teenage years. Hill used his access to the child to build trust and gradually manipulate boundaries, a pattern prosecutors described as grooming.
In a recorded interview in November 2022, the victim recounted how when she was a young girl in Hill’s hot tub he forced her hand onto his penis while naked, claiming it was to “teach” her, prosecutors said.
By the time the girl was 10, Hill began giving the victim massages, escalating to inappropriate touching near her crotch, according to investigators.
When she was 13, Hill gave her alcohol and exposed her to pornography depicting “daddy/daughter” scenarios, “normalising the behavior despite her objections,” prosecutors said.
The abuse culminated in December 2021, when Hill brought the victim, then 14, to a remote area of Blyn Mountain in Clallam County. After giving her a mixture of Bacardi and Coke – which left her intoxicated and fearing for her safety – Hill coerced the victim into removing her clothing, prosecutors said. He then photographed her genitalia , groped her breasts, and forcibly kissed her.
On the drive back home, Hill digitally penetrated the victim’s vagina.
After the victim disclosed the abuse in November 2022, the Marysville Police Department served a search warrant on Hill’s home. Officers seized multiple electronic devices, and prosecutors said images and other data found on Hill’s phones supported key parts of the victim’s account and contradicted Hill’s denials.
Hill described himself to investigators as a ham radio operator and claimed his trip to Blyn Mountain was for equipment maintenance. He denied the allegations but admitted to discussing sexual topics with the victim and viewing pornography involving adult–stepchild themes, prosecutors said.
“This young woman’s strength and resilience in the face of unimaginable trauma havebeen instrumental in holding her abuser accountable,” said Special Deputy Prosecutor Holly Graham. “Today’s sentencing reflects our commitment to protecting vulnerable individuals and ensuring justice is served.”
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