An executive from JH Kelly entered into an agreement with the city of Longview in municipal court Wednesday in connection to allegations of groping a woman at the company’s centennial celebration in 2023.
Robert William Harris, 58, of Longview, decided to enter into an agreement, called a stipulated order of continuance, in which a defendant has agreed to certain stipulations to avoid further criminal legal proceeding. He originally faced a fourth-degree assault charge.
Harris must affirm to a 24-month no-contact order, as well as commit to 24 hours of community service and anger management. Harris, who declined to talk to The Daily News, told Cowlitz County District Court Judge John Hays Wednesday he had completed anger management.
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“It’s a pretty standard kind of agreement for first offense,” said Longview Assistant City Attorney Nicole Knowles, who added that the agreement is not technically a conviction, but Harris did admit to the “elements of assault.”
If Harris completes all of the stipulations, the case could be dismissed. His next court date is set for April 23, 2026.
According to JH Kelly’s website, Harris is the company’s executive vice president and serves on the board of the Northwest Construction Consumers Council and the Cowlitz Economic Development Council.
What happened?
The victim said Harris sexually assaulted her when he allegedly grabbed her genitals without her consent at the party.
On March 17, 2023, the victim was talking to a friend at the JH Kelly party when Harris approached and asked if they had seen his wife. As part of an ongoing joke, the friend suggested Harris’s wife might be socializing with another man, according to a police report.
Harris reportedly reached over with an open hand and grabbed the victim in the groin area, saying something like “How about this?” or “I have nothing to worry about.”
Hays inquired Wednesday whether Harris was intoxicated during the incident at the Cowlitz County Event Center, and she said no. The victim added that Harris had re-victimized her over the last year by trying to clear his name.
She said Harris apologized for the incident but later said it wasn’t a big deal.
While reading a prepared statement and sitting near Hays before the court, she expressed losing her sense of security and safety.