OLYMPIA — Criminals who knowingly strike at the families of service members who are absent on tours of duty would face extra-long sentences under a bill by state Rep. Troy Kelley that was heard Tuesday by a House committee.
“This bill holds accountable those who prey on our service members,” Kelley said.
The bill (HB 2548) would add the deployment factor to the current list of aggravating circumstances that allow judges to exceed sentencing guidelines when imposing punishment on convicted criminals. That list now includes such circumstances as cruelty, crimes against vulnerable or homeless victims, sex crimes or repeated abuse of a victim.
Kelley, D-Tacoma, said the measure was in response to incidents involving the burglarizing of the homes of deployed service members and other crimes against them. Criminals learn of the deployments by browsing social media sites or other means, he said.
For the more severe sentence to be imposed, the aggravating circumstance must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt to the jury in the case.
The measure is supported by the state Department of Veterans Affairs.