PORT TOWNSEND — A Port Townsend resident has had a more than seven-year prison sentence suspended under the Special Sex Offender Sentencing Alternative following a guilty plea in Jefferson County Superior Court.
Chloe Raven Baldwin, formerly known as Joshua James Baldwin, was given an 87-month suspended sentence last Friday following a guilty plea on June 20. The sentencing requires Baldwin to comply with the terms of the SSOSA program and register as a sex offender for 15 years.
The case involved the sexual abuse of a minor.
A Child Protective Services report was referred to law enforcement on May 4, 2020, according to court records. The report detailed allegations of sexual abuse spanning over five years, from when the child was between the ages of 7 and 12 while Baldwin was between 15 and 20 years old.
An investigation began in January 2020 after a disclosure by the child to her cousin, followed by a report to her mother, the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s office said.
Detectives from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Port Townsend Police Department conducted a forensic interview with the child at the Jamestown S’Klallam Child Advocacy Center on May 6, 2020.
During the interview, the child recounted multiple incidents of abuse, including inappropriate sexual contact initiated by Baldwin. The abuse occurred frequently between the ages of 7 and 9, decreasing in frequency until the final incident when the child was 12, the prosecuting attorney’s office said.
The child reported telling Baldwin to stop during the last incident, which he ignored for about 10 minutes before ceasing, the prosecuting attorney’s office said.
On May 27, 2020, detectives attempted to interview Baldwin at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, but Baldwin declined to make a statement. Additional corroboration came from the child’s cousin, who confirmed the disclosure and reported their own uncomfortable experiences with Baldwin during their childhood.
During the investigation, the child’s parent contacted Baldwin via Facebook Messenger, informing them of the child’s disclosure and their request for no further contact. Baldwin responded, expressing regret and acknowledging the harm caused, stating, “I know there’s nothing I can do to make it better and seldom a day goes by that I don’t think about what I did and regret it.”
Deputy Prosecutor Holly Graham led the case and Baldwin pleaded guilty in June. After Baldwin underwent a psycho-sexual evaluation, the court imposed the 87-month suspended sentence. Failure to comply with the SSOSA terms could result in the imposition of the full sentence.
“Kids are frequently victimized by people around them,” Prosecuting Attorney James Kennedy said. “In that context, it is incredibly difficult for the child to come forward because the abuse came from within their circle of trust, and therefore they do not know who they can reach out to for help. My hope is that this sentence can help them overcome this distrust and move forward.”
