NBC Right Now/KNDO/KNDU Tri-Cities, Yakima, WA |Former Portland cop sentenced to ten years in prison

Former Portland cop sentenced to ten years in prison

KENNEWICK, Wash. -- A former Portland police officer will spend ten years in prison for trying to lure teenagers in Columbia Park into performing sex acts for him.

Ryan Graichen spoke to the courtroom for the first time since his arrest December of 2010.  He apologized to friends, family and the victims as well as members of the law enforcement community.  In his tearful apology he addressed his family who stood behind him. "Specifically mom, I didn't listen to you. You saw my need for help. you tried, and I didn't listen," sobbed Graichen.

Graichen who was an officer for eight years said he was in "the wrong field," blaming work related stress, death and an on duty shooting he was involved in on his addiction to pornography."My addiction to pornography worsened and the slippery slope got even more slippery.  My family begged me to get help. the same family that sits by me today.  They saw that I was going to a very dark place. and they begged me to get help but they didn't force me," said Graichen.

He said he was on the verge of suicide days before his arrest.  Several of the victims also spoke in court about how the incidents traumatized them and they now have trouble going to the park.  "For me to think that he came up to me, what if I was with my son and he took us, what if I was alone..like I can't take my son anywhere alone," cried one of the young women approached.

Anita Petra, the prosecutor on the case said Graichen is a danger to society, has little remorse for his actions, and has a large binder collection of pornography of him performing sex acts on many young girls.  She said he even paid some young girls to perform such acts on them, and still held on to the pornography after he was caught.

Graichen however said those who said he's not sorry don't know what they're talking about.    He then specifically apologized to the victims. "I'm so sorry for approaching you, causing you the fear and the anxiety that I caused.  my actions, I was completely out of line with my proposals, and it was very out of character."

Graichen will serve 120 months in prison on all seven felony sexual offenses.  He will get credit for time served.  The court also issued no contact orders for the victims in the case.