Spokane man sentenced to prison for lewd conduct, sexual abuse of child

A Spokane man was sentenced to prison Tuesday in a First Judicial District courtroom after being found guilty of lewd conduct with a minor and one count of sexual abuse of a child.

Eric Andrew Mork, 59, will serve 25 years with no possibility of parole for sexual abuse of a child under the age of 16 and 35 years with parole eligibility after 25 years for each of the three counts of lewd conduct with a minor under 16, according to a press release from the Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.

From about 2001 to 2003, Mork victimized three different children between the ages of 3 and 12 years old, the release said. The abuse occurred while Mork had access to the children during family vacations on Lake Coeur d’Alene.

"Mork carried out the abuse through manipulation tactics, bribery, grooming, and misuse of his position of trust and authority within the victims’ lives," the release said.

The crimes were originally investigated in 2003 but were not charged due to a lack of evidence. 

Mork reoffended in Spokane in 2020 and was convicted in 2023 of rape of a child and child molestation, the release said. 

The 2003 investigation was reopened and Mork was indicted Nov. 15, 2023, and convicted following a two-day jury trial that ended May 1.