Beckner Pleads Guilty to Child Abuse Charge

WAITSBURG – Waitsburg resident Tysen R. Beckner, 26, pleaded guilty in Walla Walla County Superior Court on Sept. 14, to second-degree assault of a child. The charge was reduced from the original charge of first-degree assault of a child and Beckner now faces a standard prison term of 31-41 months, when sentenced.

Beckner originally pleaded not guilty to the first-degree assault charge at his July 6 arraignment. The charges resulted from an incident that took place June 17 when Beckner was allegedly involved in a fight outside a Waitsburg bar.

Police were called and Beckner’s girlfriend, Waitsburg resident Shaylynn M. Johnson, was arrested on a warrant at her home on Coppei Ave. Beckner, who shared the residence with Johnson, was left in charge of her two young children, an infant and a four-year-old.

On June 18, medics were called to the apartment after a woman checked on the children and discovered the four-year-old had been severely beaten. The child reportedly told authorities that Beckner had thrown him against a coffee table because he hadn’t eaten his dinner and that Beckner had put held head in the toilet.

Beckner fled but was located and arrested in Nez Perce County, Ida. later than night. He was extradited to Walla Walla on June 25.

Beckner was also charged with fourth-degree assault and second-degree malicious mischief for allegedly assaulting a man and damaging his vehicle on the night of the June 17 fight. Those charges have been dropped, with Beckner responsible for damages.

In July, Beckner received additional charges for possession of child pornography when a search warrant resulted in the discovery of five child pornography images on Beckner’s cell phone. Those charges have also been dropped because of problems with the warrant.