Women Strike Bargain In Child-Abuse Case

Two women who earlier pleaded innocent to involvement in a child sex-abuse ring reversed their pleas Monday and agreed to testify against others under terms of a plea agreement.

Sadie Hughes, 32, and Scharl Ann Filbeck, 39, each pleaded guilty in Chelan County Superior Court to one count of first-degree child molestation.

Hughes had pleaded innocent May 15 to two counts of first-degree child molestation and one count of first-degree rape of a child. The other counts were dropped under terms of the plea agreement.

Filbeck had pleaded innocent May 17 to a single count of first-degree child molestation.

Prosecutors said they planned to seek five-month prison terms for the women, a shorter term than is customary for child molestation. In addition, each will be required to complete a sex-offender treatment program, prosecutors said.

“Obviously, it (the guilty pleas) confirms again statements the children have made in these various cases that they were in fact molested by these and other individuals,” Prosecutor Gary Riesen said.