Deming Man Gets 13+ Years for Child Abuse Imagery

SEATTLE – Robert J. Howell Jr., 47, of Deming, Washington, will spend the next 13 years and 4 months behind bars after being sentenced today in U.S. District Court for possessing a horrifying trove of child sexual abuse material. The sentence, handed down by Judge John C. Coughenour, reflects the sheer volume and disturbing nature of the images found on Howell Jr.’s electronic devices.

The case unfolded after a foreign police organization flagged an IP address connected to Howell Jr.’s residence as accessing a website dedicated to child sexual abuse in late 2019. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) quickly zeroed in, and a September 15, 2020 search of Howell Jr.’s Deming home yielded a sickening haul: over 90,000 files depicting the sexual abuse of children spread across 21 electronic devices. Many of these images showcased extreme violence inflicted upon very young victims.

Prosecutors successfully argued at the two-day jury trial – which concluded with a guilty verdict after just one hour of deliberation – that Howell Jr. knowingly received at least five specific files of this material between 2016 and 2019 and continued to possess countless others. The evidence painted a grim picture of a man actively seeking out and collecting this depraved content. Judge Coughenour didn’t mince words, stating Howell Jr. “poses a danger to the community and has a complete lack of contrition.”

Beyond the prison sentence of 160 months, Howell Jr. was ordered to pay $141,000 in restitution to the 47 identified child victims depicted in the imagery. This is a small measure of justice for unimaginable suffering, but it underscores the gravity of his crimes. Law enforcement seized and forfeited over 75 electronic assets – computers, phones, tablets, hard drives, gaming devices, and CDs – ensuring they could no longer be used to access or distribute this horrific material.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Hampton and Jessica M. Ly spearheaded the prosecution, highlighting the dedication of federal resources to combating child sexual exploitation. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 to target and dismantle networks involved in the abuse and exploitation of children online. This investigation serves as a stark reminder of the dark corners of the internet and the relentless efforts of law enforcement to bring predators to justice.

Howell Jr.’s sentence doesn’t end at prison walls. He will face twenty years of supervised release following his incarceration, a period meant to monitor his behavior and prevent future offenses. This case is a chilling illustration of the devastating impact of child sexual abuse and the importance of vigilance in protecting the most vulnerable members of our society. Anyone with information regarding child exploitation is urged to contact HSI or their local law enforcement agency.

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