Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Receipt of Child Pornography Man with Prior Conviction for Child Molestation Faces at Least 15 Years in Prison

ROBERT FRANCIS PIERCE, 41, of Kirkland, Washington, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to Receipt of Child Pornography. PIERCE has prior convictions in Snohomish County for rape of a child in the first degree and child molestation in the first degree and therefore faces a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Marsha J. Pechman on May 14, 2010.

According to records filed in the case, in late May 2009, federal investigators using peer-to-peer file sharing software traced child pornography to an Internet address associated with PIERCE. In August 2009, PIERCE’s apartment was searched by law enforcement, and agents located two computers containing more than 600 images of child pornography. PIERCE admitted downloading the images using peer-to-peer software.

In June 2003, PIERCE was convicted in Snohomish County Superior Court of rape of a child in the first degree and child molestation in the first degree. PIERCE was sentenced to 131 months in prison, with all but six months suspended. That suspension will now be revoked, with the expectation that the remaining state sentence will be served concurrently with the federal sentence. In the federal case, both the defense and the prosecution will recommend a sentence of 15 years in prison.

The case was investigated by the FBI and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scoville.

For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney’s Office, at (206) 553-4110 or Emily.Langlie@USDOJ.Gov.