PORTLAND, Ore. – A 58-year-old was sentenced to two decades of prison time on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty and ‘no contest’ to sexual abuse, unlawful sexual penetration, and attempted sexual abuse charges, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office said.

Matthew Campbell entered the pleas on September 10, though his trial was scheduled to begin on September 13.

The investigation started in March 2019 when the survivor’s mother reported the abuse to Portland police. The victim, 13 at the time, said the abuse began between the ages of six and seven years old.

During the investigation, a second survivor came forward.

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“I have nightmares where I don’t have a voice. I try to scream and nothing comes out,” described one of the victims. At age 13, she decided to report the abuse after watching YouTube videos of other survivors sharing their stories of childhood sexual abuse. “I found strength listening to survivors talk about their experiences and hearing how things got better for them after they spoke out.”

The victims’ mother also gave a victim impact statement, describing the pain that continues to reverberate through their family. “Is there anything worse for a parent than to see your children suffer and not be able to help?” the mother asked the court. She affectionately referred to her youngest daughter as, “Joy Peppercorn,” because the child’s radiant smile and energy emanate joy. But the child is also like a peppercorn – small but mighty, and if you dare to bite her, she will bite you back with a potent and powerful strength.

Veteran child abuse prosecutor Amber Kinney handled the case, which was primarily investigated by Gresham Police Detective Aaron Dressler along with members of the Multnomah County Child Abuse Team.