(Spokane, WA) United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Nathan Roy Stout, age 39, from Spokane, Washington, to 15 years in federal prison for Possession of Child Pornography. Judge Rice also imposed a lifetime of supervised release and restitution of $9,000.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, in January 2023, Stout was living in the Residential Reentry Center (RRC) in Spokane Washington following a 2018 conviction for distributing child pornography. While at the RRC, a staff member discovered that child sexual abuse material was stored on Stout’s cell phone. Stout later told his case manager at the RRC that he had been downloading child sexual abuse material and then deleting it.
An FBI agent conducted an extraction of Stout’s phone and located 116 files of young children being sexually abused. The agent also located multiple file cleaners, which are designed to erase files, on Stout’s cell phone.
“Mr. Stout downloaded child exploitation material, even while serving a sentence for a similar crime,” stated United States Attorney Vanessa Waldref. “I commend my team of prosecutors and investigators who dedicate their careers to protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities. Every case we investigate and prosecute – every victim identified and rescued – brings some level of justice for those who suffer the tragic effects of child abuse and exploitation.”
“Mr. Stout continued to download and view child pornography while on probation following a sentence for the same offense.” said Gregory L. Austin, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “Protecting and advocating for children is one of the most noble tasks entrusted to the FBI. I especially want to thank the investigators who work these cases on behalf of children, despite how troubling the facts may be.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/
This case was investigated by the FBI. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca R. Perez.