Former Zillah Mayor Gary Clark Sentenced For Child Rape

Gary Clark, the former mayor of Zillah, was sentenced to six months in jail last Thursday after pleading guilty to two counts of first-degree child rape and indecent exposure. The 78-year-old who held office from 2014 to 2018, was also placed on lifetime community custody and mandated treatment following the sentencing.

THE CHARGES CAME AFTER CLARK WAS ARRESTED IN 2021

The charges stem from allegations that Clark sexually assaulted a woman when she was between the ages of 4 and 8 during family visits to his home in Zillah. According to the Yakima County Prosecutor's Office, the woman came forward with her accusations after discovering that Clark had recently been charged with sexually assaulting a 4-year-old girl in Union Gap in 2021.

CLARK WAS ACCUSED OF A RAPE MANY YEARS AGO

Police reports show the mother of the 4-year-old girl informed authorities that Clark, who was the family’s landlord, had molested her daughter while performing maintenance at their home. Investigators were helped by security camera footage that recorded the crime, leading to Clark’s arrest by Union Gap Police in 2021. His sentencing was delayed because of the pandemic.

THE PLEA DEAL MEANS SOME CHARGES WERE DROPPED

As part of the plea deal, several additional charges against Clark were dropped.
After deliberation, the judge handed down a 10-year indeterminate sentence to Clark, saying he must serve six months in the Yakima County Jail. Failure to adhere to the terms of his community custody could result in Clark being sent to prison for the rest of his sentence.