A resident of Deming, Washington, Robert J. Howell Jr., aged 47, has been convicted on two federal felony charges related to receiving and possessing images of child sexual abuse. This was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller after a trial in the U.S. District Court in Seattle. Howell's sentencing is scheduled for July 15, 2025, by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour.
The investigation into Howell began in 2019 when a foreign police organization informed Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) that an IP address associated with Howell's residence had accessed a website containing child sexual abuse imagery. On April 1, 2025, following a two-day trial, the jury found Howell guilty after one hour of deliberation.
Testimony and records presented at trial revealed that HSI agents linked the IP address to Howell's residence in Deming. On September 15, 2020, a search warrant was executed, leading to the seizure of numerous electronic devices. Forensic analysis uncovered over 90,000 files related to child sexual abuse across 21 devices, featuring extremely violent content involving young children.
Prosecutors demonstrated that between 2016 and 2019, Howell received five specific child sexual abuse files and knowingly possessed hundreds more. A total of over 75 electronic items were seized and forfeited to the government, including computers, phones, tablets, and storage devices. Howell faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years to a maximum of 20 years in prison, subject to Judge Coughenour's final decision based on the guidelines and other factors.
The case was handled by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Hampton and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica M. Ly.
This conviction is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative by the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project aims to use federal, state, and local resources to apprehend and prosecute offenders exploiting children online, as well as to assist victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.