Sayler sentenced to 23 years in prison

Convicted child rapist and former West Valley youth coach Randy Sayler was sentenced to 23 years in prison Friday in Yakima County Superior Court.

A state review board could extend that term to life.

“I don’t know if you are ever going to get out of prison, Mr. Sayler. As I stated, that is not up to me,” said Superior Court Judge Ruth Reukauf.

State law prevented Reukauf from seeking an “exceptional sentence” that would be beyond the suggested range as was recommended by the Department of Corrections following a pre-sentencing investigation.

Sayler pleaded guilty May 8 to raping and molesting three teenage boys who played on teams he had coached.

That guilty plea included five counts of second-degree child rape, one count of third-degree child rape, one count of second-degree child molestation, one count of third-degree child molestation and one count of voyeurism. He was also sentenced based on the Alford plea to one count of first-degree child molestation, meaning he did not admit guilt but conceded he would likely be convicted at a trial.

According to law enforcement affidavits filed in the case, the three victims were:

• A 13-year-old boy who played for his AAU basketball team. The boy told police Sayler assaulted him four times from May to August 2007.

• A 13-year-old boy who said Sayler molested him about three years ago during a sleepover at his coach’s home on South 83rd Avenue. The boy told police that when he woke up to find Sayler touching him, he screamed, and Sayler put his hand over the boy’s mouth and said, “Don’t say anything or I’ll do it again!”

• A 15-year-old boy who told police about five separate incidents over the past several years. They include being molested at Sayler’s home and while the basketball team was on the road at tournaments and training camps. Three of the incidents took place while the boy was about 12 years old.

At least one of those victims was in court Friday.

Sayler, now 46, will be 69 years old when he is eligible to go before a state sentencing review board to determine if he can be released. If denied release then, he can appear before the board every five years.

Prior to sentencing, family members of each of the three victims that have come forward addressed the court. A common theme among their statements was pain, betrayal and loss of trust.

“All the times we had you and your family in our home for dinners, holidays and celebrations,” said the mother of one of the teenage victims. “Every single day, I regret the day we met.”

Upon entering the courtroom, Sayler looked forward or down, but never in the direction of more than a dozen people who sat in the gallery awaiting the outcome of the sentencing.

Most of those people were family members of Sayler’s victims. However, a few of Sayler’s family members were also present, including his ex-wife, who has since moved out of the area with their three children.

Sayler attempted to address the court through a prepared statement. He put on his reading glasses, wiped tears from his face with a tissue and began to read.

“I would first like to apologize to the victims and the families,” he said as his voice shook. “What I did was the ultimate betrayal to a parent and a friend.”

He also apologized to his family before he was emotionally unable to complete reading the statement. His attorney, Jeffery Swan of Yakima, continued to read the statement.

“I thank the victims for being strong and doing the right thing by coming forward,” Swan read.

When presented with the opportunity to speak on Sayler’s behalf, a quivering female voice replied, “I don’t think that we can.”

• James Joyce III can be reached at 577-7675 or jjoyce@yakimaherald.com.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to correct erroneous information that appeared in the originally published version. Jeffery Swan's name has been corrected.

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