Wasco County Judge Imposes Maximum Consecutive Sentences, Sending Lucas Blevins to Prison for Nearly 23 Years
By Joshuah Albert
The Dalles, Ore., June 10, 2026 — A Wasco County judge imposed the maximum sentence on each of Lucas Blevins’ convictions Tuesday, ordering the terms to run consecutively and sending the 31-year-old to prison for 275 months after he pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a child and later fled before his original sentencing.
Wasco County Circuit Court Judge John Wolf sentenced Blevins on two counts of first-degree sodomy and one count of first-degree sexual abuse stemming from offenses committed in the spring of 2024. In addition to the prison term of nearly 23 years, Blevins must register as a sex offender and pay a $5,000 compensatory fine to the victim.
The sentence concludes a case that drew widespread attention after Blevins failed to appear for his originally scheduled sentencing hearing in May, prompting a nationwide warrant and a nearly two-week manhunt.
Blevins had previously entered guilty pleas to the three sex offenses but did not appear in court for sentencing on May 13. Prosecutors and defense counsel told the court at the time they did not know his whereabouts, and a judge immediately issued a warrant for his arrest. Authorities believed he had fled in a dark-colored Chevrolet Silverado and appealed to the public for help locating him.
He remained at large until May 26, when he was arrested and lodged in the Multnomah County Jail before being returned to Wasco County to face sentencing.
In addition to the sex offense convictions, Blevins pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree failure to appear for skipping the original sentencing hearing. He is scheduled to be sentenced on that charge next month.
Wasco County District Attorney Kara Davis said the victim and her family endured significant hardship throughout the case and faced attempts to discredit them both in court proceedings and on social media.
“The victim and her family have endured significant hardship throughout the course of this case,” Davis said in a statement. “The evidence established the truth of the allegations, including the defendant’s own confession and additional corroborating evidence. The victim’s mother demonstrated unwavering commitment in advocating for her child, and today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of these offenses.”
The case was investigated by the The Dalles Police Department, with Detective Austin Ell serving as lead investigator. The prosecution was handled by District Attorney Kara Davis.
The sentence means Blevins will spend nearly 23 years in prison before becoming eligible for release, after which he will remain subject to Oregon’s sex offender registration requirements.
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