EVERETT — A Marysville man has admitted to raping an 11-year-old neighbor girl last year — a crime that was interrupted by two good Samaritans whose instincts proved right.
Darrell Lynn Arp was brazen when he led the girl behind a security fence at an empty lot near a defunct grocery store on State Avenue. Two people driving by saw him and the girl. They grew concerned and stopped their vehicle to investigate.
They recorded the encounter on a cellphone. That video led police to Arp.
The 69-year-old man recently pleaded guilty to first-degree rape of a child. He faces up to 10 years in prison at a sentencing hearing scheduled for later this summer. Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Bob Langbehn plans to ask that Arp be sentenced to the high-end of the standard range.
Arp will be required to register as a sex offender. He’ll also have to convince the state’s Indeterminate Sentence Review Board that he is safe to be released after serving his time.
Arp doesn’t have any previous criminal convictions, although he admitted to other encounters with the girl. Detectives asked him if there were other victims. He stated, “Maybe just them, or her, I should say,” according to court records. He denied that he’d abused other children.
The witnesses told police they looked over the fence and saw the clothed girl sitting on Arp’s lap. They asked the man what he was doing.
“We’re just playing,” Arp said.
The girl and the defendant quickly left, hopping on nearby bicycles. The witnesses reported the incident to police and provided them the video.
A detective recognized the location. She used the video to create snapshots of the victim and showed them to staff at an elementary school. The victim was identified and police later used social media to identify Arp, according to court records.
A neighbor told police that Arp had ridden his bike back and forth in front of the girl’s house on several occasions. She also said she’s warned the family about Arp “creeping” on kids, according to court records.
Arp was arrested and admitted to sexually assaulting the girl. He tried to blame some of incident on the girl, saying she was curious. He also detailed numerous interactions with the girl, including giving her money and a bike.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com.
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