Philomath Man Sentenced Sexual Abuse of Children

Lincoln County Circuit Court Judge Amanda Benjamin sentenced 41-year old Hugo Gomez Tapia to 12.5 years in prison for sexually abusing two separate children under the age of 14, while he was living in Lincoln County in 2020 and 2022.

After a four-day bench trial, Judge Benjamin found Gomez Tapia guilty of sexually abusing a 13-year-old in 2020 and sexually abusing a 4-year-old in 2022. Gomez Tapia was sentenced in July 2026 to a total of 150 months in the Department of Corrections for two counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree.

This case was investigated by Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and Newport Police Department. The Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office would like to thank Sergeant Mike Leake, Newport Police Department, for his dedication and perseverance in this case. He refused to give up, continued pursuing the truth, and remained committed to ensuring that these child victims had an opportunity to receive justice.