David P. Harlan Sentenced to 15 Years for Producing Child Pornograp…

David P. Harlan, a 46-year-old resident of Battle Ground, Washington, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for producing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan.

In January 2014, Harlan pleaded guilty and has since served a six-and-a-half year state sentence for child molestation. His federal sentence will run concurrently with the state sentence.

U.S. District Judge Ronald B. Leighton emphasized the severity of Harlan’s offense during sentencing, stating that the sentence needed to serve as a deterrent against similar crimes.

Records indicate that German authorities alerted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Portland, Oregon, about child pornography being distributed from an IP address in Vancouver, Washington. ICE identified Harlan as the person controlling the computers at that address. A search warrant was served on his Battle Ground home in March 2010, where authorities seized ten computers, numerous DVDs, hard drives, and cameras.

Forensic analysis revealed more than 5,300 images and 183 movie files of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, some involving victims identified by the Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The investigation also uncovered pornographic pictures taken from young children whose parents were friends with Harlan, including one instance when a child was approximately five years old.

Brad Bench, special agent in charge of HSI Seattle, noted that this case serves as a reminder that many children are victimized by someone they know and trust. He praised the international collaboration that led to Harlan’s arrest and prosecution.

The investigation into Harlan was conducted by ICE and the Battle Ground Police Department, with Assistant United States Attorney David Reese Jennings handling the prosecution.

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