News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: June 26, 2007

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Assistant District Attorney Christine Cook

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

SEXUAL PREDATOR SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS TO LIFE

District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced today that Richard Allen Clapham was sentenced to a term of 25 years to life in state prison. The defendant entered a plea on May 15, 2007 to violating Penal Code Section 314(1), felony Indecent Exposure. He also admitted that he suffered 2 prior strike convictions for sexual related offenses. He was sentenced by the Honorable Rene Chouteau.

DA Passalacqua said, "This sentence shows our commitment to getting sexual predators off the streets of Sonoma County."

In the current offense, the defendant and the victim were employed by Pier 1 Imports in Petaluma. After the store closed for the evening, the victim entered the woman’s restroom in order to clean it. When she opened the door to exit the restroom, the defendant was standing in the doorway nude. He then put his hand over her mouth and tried to push her backwards into the restroom. The victim struggled with the defendant and was able to remove his hand from her mouth and scream for help. The defendant was arrested and later admitted to taking a male performance enhancing stimulant while at work.

The defendant’s similar past pattern of behavior was a key factor in the sentence imposed today. In 1994 the defendant was convicted in Marin County of sexually assaulting his ex-girlfriend’s 15 - year old sister. In that case the defendant was standing nude in the hallway when he confronted the victim by knife point. He then forced the young victim into a bedroom where he sexually assaulted her. The defendant was sentenced to 4 years in state prison for this offense.

In 1995 the defendant was convicted of Assault with Intent to Commit Rape. In that case the defendant followed two young girls, aged 10 years, who were playing at Salmon Creek Beach in Sonoma County. As the girls prepared to leave they noticed him hiding in the bushes The defendant followed them and pushed one of the girls to the ground. He covered her mouth with his hand but she was able to bite his hand and get away. The defendant was sentenced to state prison.

In 1998, the defendant was convicted of felony Indecent Exposure. He was sentenced to 6 years in state prison in that case. The current charges occurred just one month after the defendant completed his term on parole.

Deputy District Attorney Tashawn Sanders was the prosecutor assigned to this case and the Petaluma Police Department conducted the investigation.