Former Oregon DHS employee sentenced for sexual assault, kidnapping of woman in his care
A former Oregon Department of Human Services employee was sentenced Tuesday to 25 years in prison and five years supervised release on his guilty plea to aggravated sexual abuse and kidnapping of a woman with developmental disabilities in his care.
Zakary Edward Glover, 30, of Lebanon, pled guilty Jan. 9 to depriving the victim of her civil rights by engaging in sexual misconduct. According to the indictment, Glover was caring for a woman with severe autism and cognitive deficits while employed as a direct support crisis specialist for ODHS.
As an employee with the of Developmental Disabilities Stabilization and Crisis Unit, Glover was responsible for the health, safety and security of those living at the residential facility where he worked.
“Mr. Glover’s crimes profoundly betrayed the trust placed in him as a state health care support specialist,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Glover's duties included taking the victim on outings in a state-owned van. It was on one of these outings In November 2021 that Glover drove down a dead-end road near an Aumsville cemetery, parked the van and engaged in sexual acts with the victim without her consent, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.
The van was purposely secured with child locks and a heavy partition between seats so the woman could not get out, the release added.
The FBI Portland Field Office and Oregon State Police investigated the case.
In 2022, ODHS said Glover had worked for the agency from Feb. 5, 2018, until Jan. 20, 2022.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said the 300-month sentence "should send a strong message" that the Justice Department would do "all it can to hold accountable those who abuse their authority" by sexually assaulting people in their custody or care.
Dianne Lugo covers the Oregon Legislature and equity issues. Reach her at dlugo@statesmanjournal.com or on X @DianneLugo
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Ex-DHS worker sentenced for assault of woman in his care
