Joseph Edgar Brown Sentenced to 15 Years for Distributing Child Por…

SEATTLE, WA – Joseph Edgar Brown, 30, will spend the next 15 years in federal prison after being sentenced today in U.S. District Court for distributing horrific child pornography and plotting to abuse his unborn child. The sentence, handed down by Judge Richard A. Jones, also includes lifetime supervised release, a clear message that Brown is deemed a continuing danger to the community.

Brown, a registered sex offender with prior convictions for molesting two young girls, didn’t just re-offend; he escalated. According to court records, between March and July 2013, Brown used email accounts registered under a former roommate’s name to distribute child pornography to over 50 individuals. He didn’t stop at distribution. He actively sought out and received even more depraved images – images of infants and toddlers being raped and sexually assaulted – from three dozen other predators. The arrest came just three weeks before the birth of his child.

The depravity didn’t end there. A forensic review of Brown’s electronic devices revealed chilling online conversations where he discussed raping and molesting his child after birth. U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan minced no words, calling Brown “the most dangerous of offenders.” She added, “It was horrible enough that he molested two little girls. Within only three years after his release, and while under supervision, he then engaged in the prolific distribution of horrific videos…all the while boasting of his prior offenses and encouraging others to rape their own children.”

“We now know Brown’s penchant for trading images of brutal sexual abuse of toddlers and infants was just the tip of the iceberg,” stated Brad Bench, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Seattle. “Through our investigation we discovered online chats…who he planned on abusing. Fortunately, the cycle of abuse will end here.” The investigation was a collaborative effort led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Seattle Police Department, operating as part of the Seattle Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC).

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice aimed at combating the exploitation and abuse of children online. The project brings together federal, state, and local resources to identify, apprehend, and prosecute offenders, and to rescue victims. The Department of Justice website, www.projectsafechildhood.gov, provides further information on this vital program.

Assistant United States Attorney Kate Vaughan prosecuted the case, securing a sentence that, while insufficient to erase the harm caused, ensures Brown will no longer pose an immediate threat to children. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the ongoing fight against child exploitation.

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