Former Spokane Children’s Theatre worker sentenced for felony communication with minor

A judge last week sentenced a 25-year-old former Spokane Children’s Theatre employee to 16 months behind bars for a felony charge of communication with a minor for immoral purposes.

Galen T. Myers was charged with kidnapping and raping a 14-year-old actress in 2019 before pleading guilty Nov. 1 to the lesser communication charge.

According to court records, Myers asked the actress to help him carry items to his car Dec. 7, 2019, after a show at the theater, 2727 N. Madelia St.

She told police that Myers, who was 22 at the time and ran the theater’s lighting system, pushed her into the backseat of the sedan, locked it and shut the door. Myers then entered the vehicle, locked the doors behind him and sexually assaulted her while she yelled for him to get off her and to stop, she told police.

Myers was arrested that night by Coeur d’Alene police officers who arrested him for inappropriately touching a 12-year-old girl, according to documents. Myers told Coeur d’Alene police detectives he was attracted to underage girls. Several child pornography images were also found on Myers’ phone.

While imprisoned in Idaho, authorities interviewed Myers related to the case at the theater. Myers told them that the girl gave him a hug after the performance on the day of the alleged assault and told him to have a safe drive. He said the girl had never been inside his car and denied having any sexual contact with the girl.

Myers is in the middle of serving a four-year prison sentence in Idaho for possessing child pornography and injuring a child, according to Idaho’s online Court Portal.

Meanwhile, the actress’ father and several other people connected to the theater raised concerns about Myers’ inappropriate behavior toward girls at the theater.

Doug Beschta, managing director at the theater, told police he approached Myers about one of the concerns and asked Myers to remain in the lighting booth and be aware of his actions involving actresses. Beschta resigned shortly after those concerns were brought to light following Myers’ most recent arrest.

Myers has been in the Spokane County Jail for nearly a year, according to the jail roster.

The 16-month sentence was the high end of the 12- to 16-month standard sentencing range, according to court documents. Myers will have to serve the Idaho and Washington sentences separately rather than concurrently.

His three years of probation ordered as part of the Spokane incident will run at the same time as the probation he receives for his Idaho convictions. He will be required to register as a sex offender.