Springfield couple face life sentence in child rape, abuse case

Tamara and Christopher Remy found guilty of child rape, other sex crimes against children

A Clark County husband and wife face life in prison after a jury found them guilty of dozens of child sex abuse charges.

Tamara Remy, 29, and Christopher Remy, 28, each faced more than a dozen charges, including child rape, child endangering, gross sexual imposition, intimidation of a victim or witness and complicity to rape, according to court records.

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The couple abused three girls they knew, Clark County Assistant Prosecutor Amy Smith said.

A trial jury of six men and six women found the couple guilty of all charges except for one charge of gross sexual imposition against Christopher Remy, Smith said.

“It speaks volumes that the jury went through each and every charge and came back with one ‘not guilty’,” Smith said.

The jury spent more than 20 hours confined to the deliberation room. It was the longest deliberations Smith has seen in a case she’s covered, she said.

“No one wants to believe that people are capable of doing this type of abuse to a child, but it does happen,” Smith said.

It’s important a community does whatever they can to protect children, she said.

In court proceedings prosecutors called the crime “the ultimate betrayal.”

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“A story of three children … stripped of their safety and their trust,” Clark County Assistant Prosecutor Elizabeth McCormick said.

McCormick alleged Tamara Remy knew about sexual assaults performed by Christopher Remy and did nothing to stop it. She said Tamara Remy then allegedly began taking part in the sexual assaults.

The Clark County Prosecutor’s Office works closely with the Clark County Child Advocacy Center, Children’s Services, Springfield Police and a network of doctors and therapists to help children in the community.

“It’s a huge team effort to get through this case,” Smith said.

The most severe charge both Tamara and Christopher Remy were convicted of is rape of a child under the age of 10 by using force or the threat of force, according to court records.

Both could be sent to prison for life without the possibility of parole, Smith said, or a minimum sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years served.

Prosecutors declined to comment on what sentence they will recommend to the court.

Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 5, according to court records.

The jury gave their decision to a judge late Monday evening. The case was tried in court over the course of three weeks, with dozens of witnesses who testified, including the three children the couple abused.

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