The separate court cases of a Sequim man and woman accused of sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl could be resolved this month.

Clallam County prosecutors filed amended charges Aug. 14 against Russell Jeffry Rees, 35, Sequim, of one count of indecent liberties and one count of second-degree incest.

Rees pleaded guilty to the amended charges and sentencing was set for Sept. 22.

He originally was charged Jan. 7 with one count each of first-degree child rape, first-degree incest and first-degree child molestation.

On Jan. 14, the charges were amended to include one count each of possession of depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and dealing in depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

The trial date had been reset several times through the winter and spring of 2009.

Gail Elaine Smith, 40, Sequim, also known as Gail Elaine Rees, agreed to a change of plea on Aug. 31 and sentencing was set for Sept. 8.

She was charged with one count each of first-degree child molestation, sexual exploitation of a minor, second-degree incest (victim under 14) and dealing in depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Smith is awaiting a divorce from Rees, 34, the girl’s stepfather, who resides in a separate home in Sequim.

The charges originate

from a pornographic video found at his Sequim home when Clallam County Sheriff’s deputies were looking for information regarding a molestation charge against him.

The video showed Smith, a young girl and an 18-year-old woman in sexually explicit acts.

Reach Brian Gawley at bgawley@sequimgazette.com.