PORT ANGELES — A 66-year-old Sequim man was sentenced to seven years in prison in late December after admitting he molested a child.

George Henry Remillard agreed to an 84-month plea deal on two counts of first-degree child molestation on Dec. 27 in Clallam County Superior Court.

He was arrested Aug. 23 by Sequim police officers and pleaded not guilty on Sept. 2. He changed his plea on Nov. 8, according to court documents.

Deputy prosecuting attorney Sarah Woolman said on Dec. 27 that Remillard’s actions have ripped the child’s family apart.

“(We want to) do whatever it takes to resolve this without (asking the child) and (the child’s) mother to testify,” she said.

Sequim police officers were referred by Port Angeles’ Child Protective Services via Idaho’s offices to investigate Remillard after interviews alleged Remillard sexually abused the child, now 10 years old, in his downtown Sequim home.

The incidents occurred sometime between the summers of 2016-18 and 2019, according to court documents.

Remillard had no prior criminal history, according to court documents.

Judge Simon Barnhart agreed to impose the recommended 84 months prosecuting attorney’s office on Dec. 27 with the possibility of a life sentence determined by a review board.

If released, Remillard will be subject to a lifetime of community custody. He is also ordered not to have contact with the child and with any minors, and stay out of areas where children’s activities are occurring. His right to own/possess a firearm was revoked, too.

Remillard was ruled indigent and must pay $40 a month starting 90 days after his release toward a $500 victim assessment fee, and a $100 DNA collection fee.

Defense attorney John Hayden said on Dec. 27 his client pleaded guilty because he wanted to take responsibility for his actions.

Remillard told Barnhart during his sentencing he felt “very ashamed” and he hopes someday his family will be able to forgive him.

No one appeared in the courtroom during sentencing or spoke via Zoom during the session for a victim statement.

Woolman said it wasn’t surprising no one spoke because of the level of emotional trauma inflicted.

Barnhart said he hopes those affected can heal.

“I hope they can heal, but probably not,” he said. “These kinds of wounds go deep; in ways you can’t imagine.”

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Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach him at mnash@sequimgazette.com.