Renton man pleads in Entiat molestation case on morning of trial

WENATCHEE — A Renton man pleaded guilty Tuesday morning to a charge of child molestation, just as his trial was about to begin in Chelan County Superior Court.

Mark Darren Starman, 55, pleaded to third-degree child molestation, avoiding trial on a first-degree charge. Jury selection had just begun for his trial this week.

In his plea, Starman admitted to having sexual contact with a 13-year-old girl during a visit to Lake Entiat in 2007, when he was 40 years old. The victim disclosed the incident years later, and Starman was initially charged in 2019.

With his plea, Starman is now being held in the Chelan County jail. He will be sentenced June 28m, when prosecutors say they’ll recommend a prison term of one year and one day. If approved by Superior Court Judge Travis Brandt, it would be an exceptionally high sentence for third-degree child molestation; the standard range for a conviction with no prior felony record is six to 12 months.