A 71-year-old man from Skagit County, Washington, Alan Lewis Meirhofer, has entered a guilty plea in the U.S. District Court in Seattle for charges related to the receipt and possession of images depicting child sexual abuse. Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller announced that Meirhofer is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment, with sentencing scheduled for June 2, 2025, by U.S. District Judge John H. Chun.
Court records reveal that Meirhofer engaged with teenage boys in Skagit County by inviting them to his home and offering gifts such as food, clothing, alcohol, cash, and marijuana. The situation came to light when one teenager borrowed Meirhofer's phone and discovered images of child sexual abuse along with pictures of his friends sent in a group chat. This led the teen's mother to notify the authorities, resulting in Meirhofer's arrest in March 2021 and the seizure of his electronic devices.
The FBI sought assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to check for cyber tips linked to internet accounts associated with Meirhofer. Over a dozen reports were found concerning images of child sexual abuse tied to accounts under his control. Subsequently, on July 17, 2024, federal authorities took Meirhofer into custody.
Meirhofer has a criminal history dating back to 1988 when he was convicted of burglary, kidnapping, and rape. In 1990 he faced convictions for first-degree burglary while armed with a deadly weapon and second-degree assault. He was civilly committed at McNeil Island’s sexually violent predator Civil Commitment Center but was released in 2017 as a level three registered sex offender.
This case falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse through collaboration among federal, state, and local resources. More information about this initiative can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI alongside local law enforcement agencies including the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office and Bellingham Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson is prosecuting the case.