Richland man will spend a decade in prison for molestation, flashing children
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- Court sentenced Scott Phelps in 2025 to more than a decade in prison for sex crimes.
- Prosecutors linked him to seven counts including child molestation and exposure.
- Police used traffic cameras, phone evidence and tips to identify and arrest him.
A Richland man will spend at least 10 years in prison after exposing himself to elementary students near schools.
He told police he did it because relationships with women were “not exciting anymore.”
Scott L. Phelps, 36, was sentenced in Benton County Superior Court for a string of seven sex crimes – first-degree child molestation and two counts each of having child pornography, communicating with a minor for immoral purposes and indecent exposure.
He faced a minimum of 8 years to nearly 11 years in a state prison. Once he’s finished that sentence, a Washington state board will decide if he can be released.
If the board decides he can’t be released, he will spend more time in prison, up to a possible life term.
Judge Diana Ruff decided to set the sentence at the maximum end of the range.
Phelps, who claimed that he had sex with more than 100 women, told investigators after his arrest that he found it more thrilling to do something “he was not supposed to do,” court documents said.
He started about three years ago with downloading child pornography. Then late last year, he told investigators he began “flashing” people, starting with homeless women, court documents said.
In February, he began targeting children.
He approached an Amistad Elementary student on Feb. 11 and 12 and offered her money to look at his genitals, court documents said. The second time, she ran home crying.
A week later, he approached a different Amistad student walking home from school and exposed himself, court documents said..
The girl ran home to her father, who reported seeing the SUV slow down to talk with his daughter. He was able to identify the vehicle as a GMC Acadia.
Police identified the car using traffic cameras, and an officer spotted Phelps on Feb. 25 driving near the same downtown Kennewick school. He later admitted to investigators that he was looking for another child to expose himself to.
He was arrested the next day and initially denied exposing himself, but tips from the public and evidence found on his cell phone led to more charges.
Police got a search warrant for his phone and found several child pornography.
Prosser police also learned Phelps attended a party where he touched a child inappropriately while other adults were distracted. Police rearrested him two days later on the new charges.