A Warrenton man was indicted for sexual abuse against a woman in his care.

A former employee at a home for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is facing rape and other charges of abuse against a woman in his care.

Hal E. Nauman, 78, of Warrenton, had been working as a direct support professional for NW Community Alliance in Warrenton. Last week, he was arraigned in Clatsop County Circuit Court for rape in the first degree, sodomy in the first degree, sexual abuse in the first degree, invasion of personal privacy in the first degree and official misconduct in the first degree. The crimes allegedly occurred in June and July of 2023.

Dalan Moss, the executive director of NW Community Alliance, said in an email to The Astorian that it is extremely rare for a direct support professional to exhibit behavior resulting in charges like Nauman’s.

Moss said the nonprofit’s staff must pass a state-administered background check, including fingerprint collection, and that each direct support professional is trained to properly support and protect the people in their care.

Under Oregon law, people who provide services to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are mandatory reporters, meaning they must immediately take action if they have reasonable cause to believe abuse occurred.

“With respect to this recent indictment, we are proud of staff for promptly contacting the appropriate authorities, as Mandated Reporters,” Moss wrote. “We trust things will sort out correctly through the due process of the Judicial system.”

Nauman had previously worked for the state and county as an environmental health inspector.

Nauman’s attorney, Kristopher Kaino, argued during a court hearing last week that Nauman’s $250,000 bail should be reduced, as Nauman did not have any criminal history and is a longtime resident of the county.

“My client, almost 80 years old, has some fairly significant health problems,” Kaino said. “His son would be living there with him. He’s willing to do a third-party release of his father.”

Kaino also said Nauman could be experiencing cognitive issues, a statement that prosecutor Dawn Buzzard rebuffed, saying she had spoken to people who had facilitated Nauman’s work as a caretaker and there had been no indication of cognitive impairment.

“Mr. Nauman was a nighttime caretaker for the victim, who is significantly developmentally delayed and very vulnerable,” Buzzard said. “The evidence in this case is strong. He took videos. He made her shower naked and took videos and took pictures of her naked on the bed.

“For her, this is the biggest nightmare, and she’s terrified.”

An investigation into Nauman’s conduct at the care home is ongoing.

Judge Kirk Wintermute said that while he did not feel comfortable granting conditional release due to the vulnerability of the victim, he did lower bail to $100,000 given Nauman’s lack of criminal history.

“If he’s convicted, he probably will most likely spend, if not the rest of his life in prison, maybe at least the bulk of it, and that’s a concern for me as well,” the judge said.