Appearing in court on Tuesday, the wife of a former nurse practitioner from Gig Harbor pleaded guilty to attempting to bribe his pregnant girlfriend into not reporting the forced administration of abortion pills.
Melissa Coots, aged 39, has avoided being sentenced to jail for the offense. She has admitted to committing attempted witness tampering, which is classified as a gross misdemeanor. Pierce County Superior Court Judge Grant Blinn has given her a two-year deferred sentence as recommended by both the defense and prosecutors.
According to a spokesperson for the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Coots will have the charge dismissed if they maintain law-abiding behavior for two years. A review hearing has been scheduled for June 11, 2026.
Coots was initially charged with a felony for witness tampering by the prosecutors. However, after she pleaded guilty, the offense was lessened. It is worth noting that Coots has no prior criminal record.
David B. Coots, 42, served as an advanced registered nurse practitioner at MultiCare Gig Harbor Medical Park, while his wife worked as a medical assistant. However, his nursing licenses were suspended by the state Board of Nursing in April, and he is no longer employed at the facility due to his legal issues that need to be resolved.
The accused has denied the charges against him, which include second-degree assault with a domestic-violence emphasis, third-degree rape, and witness tampering. He was taken into custody on March 11 for violating a domestic-violence court order five times. Currently, he is out on $500,000 bail.
The husband and wife were accused by prosecutors of visiting the girlfriend’s house and attempting to bribe her not to seek legal or medical assistance after David Coots allegedly self-prescribed abortion pills and administered four of them to his girlfriend during intercourse in January. As per court records, Melissa Coots inquired the woman about the amount of money needed to keep quiet about the incident to the police.
In court, the woman whom Melissa Coots attempted to bribe, a woman in her thirties, spoke out and expressed to the judge how deeply disturbed she was by the defendant’s behavior. She firmly stated that no amount of money could silence her. Following the defense attorney’s statement, Coots herself spoke and shared that her life had been shattered due to the actions of others.
Blinn expressed his disappointment that Coots’ statement to the court did not acknowledge the harm she caused before imposing the sentence. Despite acknowledging the traumatic process Coots went through, he emphasized the importance of taking responsibility for one’s actions.
Blinn emphasized the importance of considering the impact that the situation has had on others while going through the healing process. “As you move through this process, it’s crucial to focus on healing yourself and your family as much as possible. However, it’s equally important to acknowledge the effects this has had on others,” Blinn advised. She made it clear that she was not referring to the actions of the spouse in question.
As the woman spoke, Melissa Coots maintained direct eye contact, her gaze never faltering.
Melissa Coots was accused of using their shared faith as a weapon against the woman’s feelings. She allegedly tried to manipulate her emotions by repeatedly asking her to think of Melissa’s son and even asked her how much money she wanted to stay quiet.
In court, the woman revealed that Melissa had pleaded with her to keep silent about the assault her husband had inflicted on her. The woman stated that Melissa was concerned about how much it would impact her if the truth came out.
Details of the case:
According to charging documents, David Coots served as the woman’s primary care provider, and their relationship turned romantic in the autumn of the previous year. In mid-September, Coots informed the woman that he was married but currently going through a divorce with his wife.
According to court records, the woman informed the police that she had engaged in sexual activity with David Coots multiple times outside the hospital. She also mentioned that he would occasionally keep his patients waiting while he was with her. The woman believed that she was pregnant after receiving five positive pregnancy tests and one inconclusive test. On Jan. 20, she informed David Coots about the pregnancy, to which he seemed supportive. In fact, he even asked her about the type of stroller they should purchase. Later, when she spoke to detectives from the Sheriff’s Department, she mentioned this detail.
According to court records, the woman who was allegedly sexually assaulted on January 27th sought medical attention at an emergency room to have a rape kit performed. She later informed detectives that she experienced abnormal bleeding and stomach pain for three days following the incident. A doctor who examined her stated that the bleeding could have been a result of a possible miscarriage, but could not determine if there was indeed a pregnancy or miscarriage.
According to the report, she contacted David Coots regarding the pills. He informed her that they were Misoprostol pills, also known as Cytotec, which can result in a miscarriage. Later on, he even offered her money and allegedly sent her $2,000 at one point, which she returned.
On February 1, Melissa Coots reached out to the woman via text message, expressing her desire to have a conversation. They met outside the woman’s residence on the same day, where Melissa Coots requested access to a hospital report. However, the woman declined to share the report with her.
According to court documents, Melissa Coots informed the woman that she had visited her residence multiple times that week and even once accompanied by her husband. As a result, the woman decided to take her 7-year-old daughter and checked into a hotel for safety.
Melissa Coots addressed the court in defense.
According to Melissa Coots’ defense attorney, Philip Petersen from the law firm Petersen and Su based in Renton, the case was most likely a “nightmare situation” for all parties involved.
Just a month after giving birth to her fifth child, the client of the speaker learned about her husband’s months-long infidelity. She was skeptical about his responses as they didn’t seem truthful to her.
According to Petersen, Melissa Coots visited the victim’s residence in a state of desperation, hoping to gather some information.
Petersen expressed his disappointment by saying, “It’s unfortunate that the conversation was not recorded. As a result, we’ll never know for sure what was discussed.”
According to the attorney, Melissa Coots has taken accountability for her actions, and he further added that the entire case has caused a rift in her family.
During the hearing, Melissa Coots took the stand and shared that the case had been the most devastating event of her life. As she spoke, she became visibly emotional, explaining to the judge that the offense had happened while she was struggling with postpartum depression and post-traumatic stress.
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