WSP report details Washougal mayor’s sexual affair, shows money exchanged

A nearly 10-week-long Washington State Patrol investigation into Washougal Mayor Sean Guard details a sexual relationship between the mayor and a Washougal woman that resulted in Guard providing the woman with money on at least two occasions. The Post-Record filed a public records request for the concluded WSP report on Aug. 10, and received the 21-page document today. In the report, concluded on Aug. 2, WSP Detective Jen Ortiz states that “between May 24 and August 2, 2017, WSP detectives conducted an investigation into the nature of Guard (and the woman’s) relationship, in which they reviewed cellular phone records, Facebook account records … and interviewed involved parties.” The investigation came about after the woman contacted Washougal Police on May 17, and, according to Ortiz’ report, alleged that “she and Guard had an inappropriate sexual relationship in which he offered her money for sex and (that she) believed the money may have come from city of Washougal funds.” The WSP investigation reveals that Guard and the Washougal woman became Facebook friends in July of 2015. Days later, according to the investigation, Guard contacted the woman via Facebook Messenger and started a conversation that soon became “sexual in nature.” Police records of Guard and the woman’s Facebook Messenger conversation show that, just a few weeks after becoming “friends” online, on Aug. 13, 2015, the Washougal mayor sent the woman the following message after the two had engaged in what Ortiz details as “a sexually explicit” conversation: “In need of an awesome massage. Can I pay you for that?” The woman, who is not identified as a licensed massage therapist, responds: “you let me know when?” The two then exchange cell phone numbers, according to the WSP report. One day later, Guard messages the woman again and asks her what she would charge for a 90-minute massage. The police report shows that Guard sent the woman “several messages” via Facebook Messenger and four SMS (text) messages via cell phone on Aug. 16, 2015, but does not detail the contents of these messages. On Aug. 17, 2015, the mayor sends her the following Facebook message: “Ok, so I am thinking maybe you were just joking or teasing about today.” The woman replies “Nope … not at all. Just getting home from vancouver (sic). My schedule is free but this whole summer thing makes (meeting at her house) impossible. Thought my son would be gone by now … Honestly thought he’d be out of here by 6 am this morning.” The two continue to exchange messages for several months, according to the WSP report. In December of 2015, the report states that Guard and the woman “appear to make plans to meet” and that “there are also several comments made by Guard, which appear to respond to photos sent (by the woman), presumably via cellular phone or some other form of communication.” On Aug. 2, 2016, the woman messages Guard via Facebook Messenger and, according to the WSP report, “asks Guard what to do about being short on rent.” Ortiz states that “the two discuss several options including: serving, cocktailing, massages, lingerie house cleaning, Craigslist, girlfriend referrals, etcetera.” A messages in the report shows Guard tells the woman via Facebook Messenger “let me see what I can do. Craving human touch, but I don’t control our bank acct (sic).” Guard tells the woman that “she would notice a few hundred missing, even a hundred,” presumably referring to his wife, Ann. “I don’t want you stressing,” Guard writes to the woman, according to the report. “You just don’t want to be in a position of doing (this section is blanked out in the public record report) for the $$$ (sic),” to which the woman responds, “And we could still touch eachother (sic).” Ortiz’ report shows that, after this exchange, the two “continue to discuss sex” as well as how Guard will get $300 to the woman. The woman tells Guard she doesn’t “want to just sleep with just anyone for 300” and, according to the WSP report, the mayor responds, “I don’t want you to think of yourself as a hooker (sic) So, call this a loan and you decide from there.” The two continue to discuss sex after this, Ortiz states in her report. Two days after this conversation, Ortiz states that Guard and the woman met at his business office at 2011 Main St., in Washougal, and “per (the woman) and comments made on Facebook Messenger, the two engaged in oral sex.” The following day, on Aug. 5, 2016, Guard met the woman at the Safeway parking lot in Washougal, according to the WSP investigation, and gave her money. “Per Guard’s account, only some of the $300.00 was provided to (the woman) at the Safeway,” Ortiz states in her report. “The remaining money was provided at his office later that day or within a few days.” In copies of the messages between Guard and the woman provided in the WSP report, the mayor references his attempts to collect enough money and tells the woman, “I just sent a note to a friend that I loaned $300 to. I’ll see if they have it together,” then adds, “I also have a large expense report to put in tomorrow. Check likely next week.” At one point, Guard tells her that he is going to ask for his expense report “to be expedited” in order to get her the money. Another message shows the mayor telling the woman: “Sorry, thought you meant the massaging. I need that tonight. Tomorrow for handing off cash.” A few weeks after the two engaged in oral sex at Guard’s office, according to the WSP report, the woman contacted Guard on Facebook Messenger (on Sept. 7, 2016) and “states she is in financial trouble and asks Guard to go to her house.” The mayor tells her “he is not in a position to help” according to the WSP report, and says he is short on money … then tells the woman he will meet her at the Washougal Arco “to drop $10-$15 of gas” in her vehicle. The report shows that the mayor and the woman continue to exchange a few messages via Facebook and cell phone during the following month, in October of 2016, and discuss meeting up again. On Oct. 10, 2016, the mayor asks the woman on Facebook if she had a good weekend. “This is the last contact between the two shown on (Facebook) Messenger until (May 10, 2017), Ortiz states in her report. The May 10, 2017 date is when, according to the WSP report, the woman posted a photo of her water bill online and complained to Guard. The mayor responds the following day and this is the last exchange between the two on Facebook or via cell phone records shown in the WSP report. In her report, Ortiz states that there is “no evidence to show the money provided by Guard to (the woman) came from (city of Washougal) funds.” Ortiz concludes her report with the legal definition for charges related to patronizing a prostitute — a misdemeanor charge in Washington State — and notes that the case is headed to the Clark County Prosecutor’s Office for review. Chief Criminal Deputy Camara Banfield says her office is reviewing the investigative report. The county prosecutor’s office will decide whether or not to bring formal charges against the Washougal mayor for patronizing a prostitute.

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