Woman pleads guilty to aiding in sex abuse

Woman pleads guilty to aiding in sex abuse

Paper: East Oregonian (Pendleton, OR)

Author: KYLE ODEGARD of the East Oregonian

PENDLETON - A local woman pleaded guilty to second-degree sex abuse on Thursday, admitting she aided and abetted her husband in his abuse of a adolescent female.

Janis Kuchler, 50, will be sentenced July 15.

Per terms of a plea agreement, the prosecution asked for five years probation for Kuchler. Judge Rudy Murgo will get a pre-sentence investigation done.

Kuchler's husband, Justin Michael Smith, also known as John J. Kuchler, Jr., has a change of plea hearing scheduled for Feb. 24, and is set to be sentenced on July 15, as well.

Smith is charged with six counts of first-degree sodomy, six counts of first-degree sex abuse, and two counts of incest - the same charges his wife originally faced.

There are two alleged juvenile victims.

"I should have paid more attention. I should have known," Kuchler said during the hearing.

"We would be able to show ... (she) was fully aware this was occurring," said prosecutor Kristi Hagey.

Kuchler then said that was correct.

The maximum sentence for second-degree sex abuse is five years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

Murgo noted that the charges dropped would be the sort that Kuchler would potentially face prison for the rest of her life.

"The state would like nothing more than to see her go to prison for the rest of her life," Hagey responded.

But due to the unusual aspects of the case, and the devastation it has already caused in the children's lives, Hagey didn't want them to testify for their own well being.

Kuchler won't be able to have contact with the two juveniles or any other minors for five years, and will be a registered sex offender.

Though Smith was present at the Umatilla County Courthouse during the hearing, he waited outside the courtroom during the proceedings.

The couple was arrested in March and the crimes allegedly occurred between Nov. 1, 2001 and Feb. 1, 2002.