Jonathan Ray Stocker, a 44-year-old resident of Sprague, Washington, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing child sexual abuse material. Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced the sentencing, which was handed down by United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice. In addition to the prison term, Stocker will undergo a lifetime of supervised release and is required to pay $45,000 in restitution to his victims.
The case originated on July 1, 2023, when the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department received information from a third party about images and videos of child sexual abuse stored on Stocker’s computer. A search warrant executed at Stocker’s home on September 1, 2023, led to the seizure of several electronic devices. Authorities discovered over 9,000 images and 184 videos depicting children under the age of 12 being sexually abused.
Stocker has a prior federal conviction for possession of child pornography. In 2012, he was sentenced to four years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney Barker stated: “The United States Attorney’s Office remains committed to holding accountable those who sexually abuse and exploit children. Mr. Stocker’s prior conviction did not deter his conduct, and today’s sentence—along with lifetime supervision—is necessary to protect vulnerable members of our Eastern Washington communities.”
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project coordinates resources from federal, state, and local levels to locate and prosecute individuals exploiting children online while also identifying and rescuing victims.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations along with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Ann T. Wick prosecuted the case.
