Craig A. Morgenstern, Child Sex Abuse and Child Pornography, Washington 2016

Craig A. Morgenstern, a 49-year-old resident of Nine Mile Falls, Washington, has been sentenced to 12 life terms in federal prison for his role in child sex abuse and child pornography charges. Morgenstern was found guilty in 2016 of 12 counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child; 18 counts of Production and Attempted Production of Child Pornography; two counts of Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Contact with a Minor; and, one count of Receipt of Child Pornography.

The crimes, which took place between 2008 and 2014, involved the sexual assault of six young boys, ranging in age from 7 to 15 years old. Morgenstern also produced child pornography images of the assaults and traveled to Idaho, Mississippi, and Tennessee to sexually molest the victims.

According to evidence presented at trial, Morgenstern used drugs to incapacitate his victims, making them unaware of the sexual abuse. The investigation into Morgenstern's crimes was sparked by the escape of one of his victims, who was a minor child less than 14 years old at the time of the incident.

Morgenstern's sentence was handed down by Senior United States District Judge W. Fremming Nielsen. The judge noted that the jury was presented with an overwhelming amount of digital evidence depicting Morgenstern's crimes.

Joseph H. Harrington, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, praised the bravery of Morgenstern's victims and the hard work of law enforcement agencies involved in the case. Morgenstern's crimes were prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat child sex abuse and exploitation.

The case against Morgenstern is a stark reminder of the devastating impact of child sex abuse and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes. Morgenstern's 12 life terms in prison are a testament to the severity of his crimes and the need for justice in cases of child sex abuse.

Defendant: Craig A. Morgenstern

Criminal Charges: 12 counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child; 18 counts of Production and Attempted Production of Child Pornography; two counts of Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Contact with a Minor; and, one count of Receipt of Child Pornography

City and State: Spokane, Washington

Exact Date: 2016

Sentence: 12 life terms in federal prison

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/ninth-circuit-upholds-craig-morgenstern-s-sentence-twelve-life-terms