Yakima, Washington – Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Bryce Quinton Hale, age 28, of Yakima, Washington, to 240 months in federal prison for Production of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography. Hale pleaded guilty to those charges on August 23, 2023. Chief United States District Judge Bastian also ordered Hale to serve an additional 10 years on federal supervision after he is released from prison and imposed $3,000 in restitution.
According to court documents, in August 2021, Hale produced images of child pornography which he shared with a chat group using the “Kik” app on his cellular phone. He was charged for this conduct in November 2021 and was placed on conditions of pre-trial release beginning on December 1, 2021. Hale then violated those pre-trial release conditions by accessing the internet and using another cellular phone on which he possessed additional images and videos of child pornography.
“Today’s sentence sends a clear message to those who continue to seek to victimize children: the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners will continue to work tirelessly to seek justice, and the consequences of exploiting children will be severe,” said Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District. “The FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office stand ready to respond with thorough investigations, vigorous prosecutions, and significant sentences for anyone who abuses children.”
“Child pornography is particularly troubling for the victims as the images continue to exist on the internet even after the perpetrator is stopped.” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “Despite being confronted by law enforcement with his horrendous actions, Mr. Hale continued to engage in unlawful activity. Protecting the children of Washington state is one of the highest priorities for the FBI, and our partners at the US Attorney’s office.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Murphy.
1:21-CR-02052-SAB
