Charged as an Adult

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Story Published: May 31, 2007 at 5:32 PM PST

By William Pitts

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KENNEWICK -- Even though he's not 18, the teen has been charged as an adult and that means we can tell you his name.

He's 17-year-old James Wamsley.

Prosecutors charged him with first degree child rape.

Cops say Wamsley was babysitting the nine-month-old baby boy on Memorial Day when he raped the infant.

The baby was hurt so bad he was taken to a Spokane Hospital.

The child rape charge means Wamsley was automatically bumped up to superior court.

The judge set bail at half a million dollars, but there's going to be another hearing next week to see if that bail should be lowered.

Action News made a request for Wamsley's booking photo, which we think is public record.

The prosecutor's office refused, as it has with almost every other booking photo we've asked for.

They say you don't need to see it, we disagree and we're not going to back down.

James Wamsley did not post bail, he's still sitting in the Benton County jail.

Because of privacy laws we are not able to find out how that infant is doing.

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