Haines

A Bend man with terminal cancer was sentenced Friday to 12 years in prison for sexually abusing a young relative more than a decade ago.

Terry Scott Haines, 48, last came to court with the aid of a wheelchair in January 2020 seeking a release from jail due to brain cancer that had spread to other organs and a prognosis of less than two years to live. He has been on house arrest ever since.

He was sentenced Friday in Deschutes County Circuit Court having reached a plea deal, more than two years after his arrest.

Haines’ attorney, Jonathan Char, told the court Friday his client is still suffering from terminal cancer.

During the sentencing, Haines asked the court: “Am I going to a medical facility because I’m not curable?” Judge Bethany Flint told Haines she could not comment on that.

Char said he believed Haines expected imprisonment at a medical facility given his condition, but would not elaborate on his client’s current state. In 2020, Haines suffered from seizures and headaches.

“I can only say, he’s not getting better,” Char said Friday. “I do think it’s a waste of resources to put him in prison.”

Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel told The Bulletin that the crime justifies the sentence.

“I do not celebrate long prison sentences,” Hummel said. “When my office seeks one, it’s because we’ve determined it’s necessary for community safety. This is one of those times.”

Flint gave Haines until noon Friday to turn himself in at the Deschutes County jail, where he’ll begin the process of transferring into the state prison system.

First-degree sex abuse is a Measure 11 crime in Oregon, punishable by mandatory minimum sentencing.

In exchange for pleading guilty to two counts of first-degree sex abuse, one count of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration was dropped from Haines’ indictment. The latter count carried a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.

In late 2010, Haines was sleeping on a relative’s couch while he was between residences.

The victim, 8 years old at the time, got up early one morning to watch cartoons before school.

“He started out by rubbing her shoulders and telling her she was pretty,” said prosecutor Stacy Neil.

The victim was 16 when she disclosed the incident and several others to school officials following a training on child abuse.

Haines was arrested in April 2019 and charged with three Measure 11 offenses. Eight months later, a judge allowed him to await trial on house arrest and under GPS monitoring due to his brain cancer diagnosis. His oncologist reportedly said people in Haines’ condition typically lived another six months to two years.

Haines has a prior conviction for second-degree sexual abuse from 1993, making him a registered sex offender at the time he reoffended in 2010.

“He is apologetic for putting the victim through this ordeal,” said Char.