Ex-Sumner, WA high school coach sentenced 40 years for child sex abuse
Ex-Sumner, WA high school coach sentenced 40 years for child sex abuse
Former Sumner High School basketball coach Jake Jackson was sentenced Thursday to 40 years in prison for sexually abusing students for years.
SUMNER, Wash. - Former Sumner High School basketball coach Jake Jackson was sentenced Thursday to 40 years in prison for sexually abusing students for years.
Jackson was convicted on 19 counts, including child molestation, rape of a child, sexual misconduct of a minor and immoral communications with a minor. These charges stem from sexual abuse he committed during his tenure at Sumner High between 2016–2022.
"I’ll never get back the innocence that was stolen from me," one survivor told the court. "I will not let shame and fear silence me."
A judge sentenced Jackson to 480 months — or 40 years — in prison.
What they're saying:
The sentencing was highly emotional, with survivors and family members speaking directly to the court.
"There isn’t a day I wake up that I am not faced with the adversity and challenges that this abuse has caused," one young survivor said. "I live in constant skepticism and hyper-vigilant of my surroundings."
A parent of one of the victims shared how the impact has extended to their family: "There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t question how I missed the signs."
The state had asked for an 80-year sentence, effectively a life term, but the judge imposed a 40-year sentence instead. At one point Jackson became visibly upset.
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Richard Weyrich said the effects of the abuse have rippled through the Pierce County town.
"His actions have rocked this small community of Sumner to its core," said Weyrich. "Frustration, anger, sadness, depression."
Timeline:
Two years have passed since the initial allegations surfaced against Jackson. The former coach exploited his role to groom, rape, and molest underage boys on his basketball team, also engaging in inappropriate daily communication with them.
Prosecutors say Jackson used his authority and trust to manipulate the boys he coached.
Court documents, which contain graphic accounts of the sexual assaults, allege that Jackson preyed on young teenage boys. Some victims have described being assaulted in Jackson's bedroom closet, often while other individuals, including Jackson's own family, were present in the home. One incident reportedly occurred during a holiday party while the victim’s family was also inside the house.
Jackson resigned from his coaching position in 2022 after being named in a sexual assault lawsuit.
During his 2023 hearing, families packed the courtroom and cheered when the judge ordered Jackson to be taken into custody after proceedings were finished.
The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting from the FOX 13 Seattle team, who were in court for the sentencing and previous hearings.
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