Multiple men sentenced for child sex crimes in Benton County

Three different men have been sentenced for crimes against children in the Benton County Superior Court.

Superior Court Judge Jacqueline Stam sentenced James C. Forney to eight years in prison for assault of a child in the second degree, among other crimes, according to a Facebook post by the Benton County Prosecutor’s Office.

In early January, Forney was convicted of choking his 4-year-old grandson as well as punching the child’s mother while under the influence during a July 2024 incident.

Maximum penalties

Judge David Petersen sentenced 73-year-old Gregory J. Bocek to a year in jail after he entered an Alford Plea on two counts of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes, The Tri-City Herald reported Thursday morning.

Six years ago, the former Hanford patrolman was initially charged with first-degree child molestation after a Kennewick mother claimed that her two sons had been sexually abused by Bocek.

According to the media outlet, the courtroom was packed with supporters for Bocek.

Judge Petersen responded to the crowd, stating, “I appreciate that everyone’s view of Mr. Bocek is of a wonderful police community serving man… I would love to play the forensic interviews of these children, so you would see the rest of the story.”

Bocek’s sentencing is the maximum penalty he could have received, with Judge Petersen adding, “he has sentenced murderers with more regret than Bocek had.”

Some cases still await sentencing

Robert J. Ramirez, who is still awaiting sentencing for charges of second and third degree rape as well as supplying liquor to a minor, was sentenced to over two years of prison time for raping two teen girls in Richmond.

The Tri-City Herald stated that he “pleaded guilty to third-degree child rape and providing a place for minors to drink,” in early February.

Ramirez, alongside a co-defendant, Marco Antonio Elias Tejada, allegedly gave the teenagers alcohol and drugs before sexually assaulting them while unconscious. A Benton County sheriff’s deputy found the car believed to be Tejada’s and arrested him and Ramirez.