Impostor Charge False, Rapist Says Prosecutor Says Sex Offender Enrolled Illegally In Job Corps

A 30-year-old child rapist pleaded innocent Monday to a charge that he illegally gave false information to enroll in a federal Job Corps program for 16- to 24-year-olds.

Additional charges may be filed later, Deputy Ferry County Prosecutor James von Sauer said.

He said a charge of criminal impersonation is possible because suspect Michael C. Helphrey assumed the identity of a fellow Medford, Ore., man.

“The meat of the charge I’m going after is that he is stealing somebody else’s identity,” von Sauer said.

He said a potentially more serious charge of failing to register as a sex offender is possible, but investigators have yet to determine that Helphrey was in Washington longer than the 30-day grace period allowed for registration.

Helphrey was arrested last month after officials at the Job Corps center near Curlew became suspicious because he looked much older than the 20-year-old man he claimed to be. He was charged with obstructing a public servant by giving false information to receive benefits to which he was not entitled.

Authorities said Helphrey looked older than his actual age and gave so many false identifications at first that they doubted he was really Helphrey when he finally gave that name.

But Sheriff Pete Warner said Helphrey’s identity has been confirmed by fingerprints.

Von Sauer said Oregon authorities are seeking Helphrey’s extradition on a probation violation warrant, and a hearing is scheduled July 28. If more serious local charges aren’t filed before then and it appears Helphrey would get a longer sentence there, von Sauer said he may abandon his case and let Oregon take over.

Meanwhile, Helphrey remains in the county jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.