Spokane, WA — Craig A. Morgenstern, 49, of Nine Mile Falls, Washington, will remain behind bars for the rest of his life after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld his conviction and sentence on multiple counts of child sexual abuse and child pornography production. The ruling affirms the 2016 federal jury verdict that handed Morgenstern 12 life sentences, one for each count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child.
The court also upheld a 30-year sentence for each of 18 counts of Production and Attempted Production of Child Pornography, 20 years for each of two counts of Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Contact with a Minor, and an additional 20 years for Receipt of Child Pornography. All sentences run concurrently, but the life terms ensure Morgenstern will never walk free.
Trial evidence revealed Morgenstern, a former physician, used his position of trust to sexually assault six boys between the ages of 7 and 15 from 2008 through 2014. He produced graphic child pornography during the assaults, often drugging his victims to keep them unconscious and unaware. Federal investigators say he traveled to Idaho, Mississippi, and Tennessee specifically to abuse the same children and create more illicit images for his own gratification.
The abuse came to light only after one victim, then under 14, escaped Morgenstern’s Stevens County residence on October 18, 2014, after waking to find Morgenstern assaulting him in the early morning hours. That act of survival triggered a sprawling investigation by the FBI and Stevens County Sheriff’s Office, uncovering digital evidence and additional victims previously silenced by fear and manipulation.
On appeal, Morgenstern challenged the jury’s verdict, claiming errors in trial procedure. The Ninth Circuit rejected every argument, stating flatly that “the jury was presented with an overwhelming amount of digital evidence that depicted Morgenstern performing sex acts on the victims.” The court found no grounds for reversal and affirmed the trial court’s findings in full.
Joseph H. Harrington, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, said, “Morgenstern is a sexual predator who used his position as a doctor and the trust of unsuspecting families to prey on children for his own selfish sexual gratification.” He credited the courage of the victims and their families, the persistence of law enforcement, and the work of Project Safe Childhood—a Justice Department initiative targeting child exploitation—for bringing Morgenstern to justice. “He will never again be able to victimize another child,” Harrington said.
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Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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