Olympia man pleads guilty in YMCA molestation incidents

An Olympia man faces 20 months in jail for allegedly molesting two boys at the Briggs YMCA in Olympia.

David Lee Cawthorn, 23, appeared in shackles Monday in Thurston County Superior Court to plead guilty to a lesser charge of one count of indecent liberties along with one misdemeanor count of communication with a minor for immoral purposes.

Prosecutors are recommending 20 months in jail and 36 months of probation. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 12.

Cawthorn had initially been charged with first-degree child molestation following his arrest in May 2014. According to charging documents, Cawthorn had molested a 10-year-old boy and an 8-year-old boy in two separate incidents in the locker room at the Briggs YMCA, 1530 Yelm Highway SE.

The first boy told police that Cawthorn had approached him, asked to see his private parts, and began making masturbation-like gestures. The boy then ran out of the locker room and notified an employee, according to court documents.

The second boy told police that he was in a changing stall when a naked Cawthorn entered and touched the boy’s privates, according to court documents. Cawthorn then went to an adjacent changing stall but started looking at the boy from under the side wall, according to documents. The boy also told police that he could hear the suspect open several other private stalls to find they were all occupied.

Court records show that Cawthorn has no prior criminal convictions. As part of his sentence, Cawthorn is prohibited from having contact with minors and the Briggs YMCA.

This story was originally published September 14, 2015 at 12:33 PM with the headline "Olympia man pleads guilty in YMCA molestation incidents."