Man sentenced to 13 months for raping 17-year-old girl in Spokane Valley

A 51-year-old man was sentenced Friday to 13 months in prison for raping a 17-year-old girl last year in Spokane Valley.

Terrence Kelley pleaded guilty to third-degree rape in February.

The victim told deputies she met Kelley in September and the two went into an alley behind Spokane Dream Center, 2128 N. Pines Road, according to court documents.

The girl said Kelley gave her methamphetamine, which she hadn’t taken before.

He then put a piece of cardboard on the ground and told her to sit on it, she told police. Kelley then removed what she believed to be a firearm, but turned out to be a BB gun, from his waistband and laid it on the ground next to her, she told police.

He then raped her, she said.

The girl said she tried to get up, but Kelley held her to the ground.

At the time, Kelley told police they had consensual sex, according to court documents.

Kelley has 43 convictions on his record from five states that include assaults, burglaries and reckless endangerment, according to court documents.

He was initially charged with first-degree rape, but as part of a plea agreement the charge was reduced to third-degree rape with a sentencing range of 12 months plus one day to 14 months.

The victim was happy with the resolution and felt that “trial would not be in her best interest mentally,” said Eugene Cruz, Spokane County deputy prosecuting attorney.

The victim was not present at the sentencing hearing Friday.

Spokane County Superior Court Judge Harold D. Clarke III sentenced Kelley to the midrange of the sentence at 13 months.

Clarke noted there was “not much discretion” available to him when it came to sentencing under the statute.

Kelley, who has been in jail since his arrest, will get credit for approximately 7 months of time served. He will be required to register as a sex offender.