A former U.S. Army soldier, Cameron James Taylor, was sentenced to 87 months in prison for abusive sexual contact with a child at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The sentencing took place in the U.S. District Court in Tacoma, as announced by U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.
Taylor, aged 49 and from Seattle, pleaded guilty in May 2024 and has been detained since then. Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo presided over the sentencing hearing and acknowledged that the conduct could cause lasting harm to the victim, stating that the victim "is a strong individual" who "shows courage to move on."
U.S. Attorney Gorman emphasized the seriousness of the crime: “This horrific conduct cannot go unpunished. Our work to protect children on our military bases is a priority in the Western District of Washington.” She added that Taylor assaulted a child who was only five years old and pressured them to conceal the abuse when questioned by adults.
Court records indicate that Taylor left the Army in 2016 with an "Other than Honorable" discharge after being investigated for sexually assaulting an unconscious female in Germany and assaulting soldiers attempting his arrest. He resigned instead of facing a court-martial.
After returning to the United States, Taylor was convicted of sexually assaulting a five-year-old neighbor child in 2019, leading to an 18-month prison sentence handed down by King County Superior Court in 2022.
During investigations into this case, other children under Taylor's care were interviewed. One child disclosed past abuse while stationed at JBLM when they were locked in a closet and assaulted by Taylor around 2012.
Prosecutors requested an eight-year sentence for Taylor, highlighting his lack of empathy and history of offenses: “Taylor’s crimes reveal a man who lacks empathy and who prioritized his own pleasure over others’ pain." They hoped that a lengthy sentence would prevent future offenses.
Following his prison term, Taylor must register as a sex offender and will be subject to ten years of supervised release as ordered by Chief Judge Estudillo.
The investigation involved collaboration between U.S. Army Criminal Investigations (CID), King County Sheriff’s Office, and FBI agents.
Assistant United States Attorneys Hillary K. Stuart and Erika J. Evans prosecuted the case.