A woman in Oregon has pleaded guilty to having an illegal relationship with her biological father, who she never knew growing up.
Chalena Moody, 25, was sentenced to 10 days in jail on the incest charge, but got credit for time already served and won’t have to serve any additional days behind bars. She also received 18 months probation.
The authorities say Moody and her father, Eric Lee Gates, 49, were living as a couple in Springfield, before moving to Klamath Falls and had two children under two years of age.
A third died in utero, according to county prosecutors.
The two children have numerous medical issues and are now in the custody of the state, reportsThe Register-Guard.
‘There’s issues with the children, and they’ve been put into foster care,’ said Sgt. Dave Lewis with Springfield Police. ‘It’s not a good situation all around.
As part of her probation, Moody cannot have any contact with Gates.
He is serving 60 days in the Lane County Jail for violating his probation and moving in with Moody following his guilty plea and subsequent sentencing to the same probationary terms.
Gates was also ordered to pay restitution to the State of Oregon for the medical expenses of the two children.
Authorities say Gates was not Moody’s custodial parent during her childhood, as he served several stints in prison while she was growing up.
Chalena Moody was sentenced to 10 days in jail on the incest charge and also received 18 months probation
Court records show at least one of those prison terms was for a felony conviction of driving with a suspended license.
However, Gates and Moody reconnected in recent years and started their relationship.
Springfield police Detective Dave Lewis said Gates and Moody openly admitted to their consensual relationship, to being father-daughter and also conceiving children together.
DNA tests were performed on the family, and it was determined that Gates and Moody were related and had children from an incestuous relationship, Lewis said.
Oregon State law defines incest as when a person marries or engages in sexual intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse with another whom the person knows to be related to them, either legitimately or illegitimately, as an ancestor, descendant, brother or sister of either whole or half-blood.
Incest is a Class C felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and $125,000 in fines.
Source: Daily Mail