Post Falls man sentenced for abusing a vulnerable adult

A Post Falls man who cared for developmentally disabled adults was sentenced to as many as eight years behind bars for having sex with one of his clients.

Rex D. Clark, 57, was convicted in Kootenai County of two felony counts of abusing a vulnerable adult, a crime that can be punishable by up to 25 years in prison. He has a similar charge pending in Bonner County.

First District Judge Fred Gibler sentenced Clark to a fixed 18 months in a state prison followed by six and a half years indeterminate, to be used at the discretion of the Idaho Department of Correction, for both counts.

Clark is accused of having sex with a 38-year-old woman in his care over a three-year period. The victim, who has the capacity of an 8-year-old, told Clark’s wife of the relationship in the Coeur d’Alene Buffalo Wild Wings parking lot after throwing a fit and being reprimanded, according to a police report.

Clark and his wife were taking care of two vulnerable adults and were paid approximately $2,300 per month by the state for each of their clients.

The victim’s confession led to an investigation by the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, which uncovered a series of sexual incidents between Clark and the woman, many of them occurring at Clark’s cabin near Athol.

Although he apologized to the court, Clark told presentence investigators the sex was consensual, and he laid part of the blame on the victim, deputy prosecutor Donna Gardner said.

“The victim is very low-functioning and can’t care for herself,” Gardner said. “It is unfair the defendant calls this an affair and blames the victim.”

Defense attorney Sean Walsh, said his client took responsibility for the crime and Walsh asked the court to place Clark on probation because of his low risk of recidivism. He asked that Gibler impose local jail time as a punitive measure, but the judge insisted on a prison term.

“I don’t believe the victim is capable of providing knowing consent to the acts that you performed on her,” Gibler said. “I think placing you on probation sends the wrong message.”