Child Rapist Given 23-Year Prison Term

Wed., Feb. 16, 2000

From Staff Reports

A Spokane man who videotaped himself having sex with children who ranged in age from 5 to 10 years old has been sentenced to 23 years in prison.

Daniel A. Gard, 34, was sentenced to six counts of child rape and two counts of child molestation late Friday.

Gard pleaded guilty in November, but his sentence also included a conviction of first-degree attempted escape. Spokane County Jail officials said in court documents that Gard and another inmate plotted an attempt to escape.

Superior Court Judge Robert Austin also ordered Gard to pay $32,000 in restitution to his victims.

Gard was arrested in 1998 after police discovered videotapes of him and another man, Gregory McCrea, having sex with several children.

McCrea, who amassed a stockpile of guns and explosives, pleaded guilty to 10 firearms charges in federal court.

After authorities arrested McCrea, they found a videotape showing both him and Gard having sex with prepubescent girls.

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