Details emerge in child porn, molestation case in Sunnyside

by CHRIS BRISTOL
Yakima Herald-Republic

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YAKIMA, Wash. -- Bail was set at $200,000 Friday for a Sunnyside man accused of molesting a 5-year-old boy and possessing child pornography. Police, meanwhile, fear there may be more victims.

Sunnyside police found sexually explicit Polaroid photos of several young boys during a search of the man's Fourth Street apartment Wednesday, according to an arrest affidavit filed at the Yakima County Courthouse.

A 5-year-old boy who was present during the search was one of the boys in the photos. The 37-year-old suspect admitted that he performed sex acts on the child and had downloaded "a lot" of child porn off the Internet, according to the affidavit filed by police.

Charlotte Hinderlider, a spokeswoman for Sunnyside police, said detectives have been poring over evidence in the case but have not been able to immediately identify other possible victims.

"We believe there could be more victims," she said Friday, adding, "I anticipate there will be more charges forthcoming."

The suspect was arrested Wednesday at his apartment. During a search of his apartment, police seized a number of items, including five computer towers, cell phones, cameras, a camcorder, DVDs and videotapes.

According to the affidavit, the investigation began when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a cybertip from Google that a user had posted child porn on a Google server.

A cyber crimes task force in Seattle traced the user's IP and e-mail addresses back to the suspect, leading to Wednesday's arrest.

Police found the Polaroid snapshots in a locked suitcase in a closet. Among the items seized as evidence were several other locked containers, according to the affidavit.

The suspect's mother also was present during the search. Hinderlider said she could not discuss the boy's relationship to the suspect, except to say the suspect has no children.

 

* Chris Bristol can be reached at 509-577-7748 or cbristol@yakimaherald.com.

 



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