7 WA residents arrested as part of operation capturing 205 child offenders

More than 200 child sex offenders were arrested in the nationwide crackdown called “Operation Restore Justice.”

Seven of the 205 arrested were from Western Washington. One hundred fifteen children were rescued in the operation.

“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims—especially child victims—and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”

The operation required coordinated efforts from 55 FBI field offices alongside the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division and multiple United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.

The 7 offenders in WA

For the seven offenders in Washington, each federal case moved forward with criminal charges, pleas, and/or sentencings of those who target minors for sexual abuse.

Convicted sex offender Mitchell Francis Dufault, 36, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and lifetime supervised release for distributing images of child sexual abuse online. He had a prior conviction for child molestation. King County resident Adam Ronald Ingram, 41, was indicted producing and possessing child porn, while Michael Gershowitz pled guilty to possessing images that contained child sex abuse. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 4.

Another sentencing is scheduled for Everett resident Steve Ray Marical, 47, for possession of images involving child sexual abuse. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 6.

Randy Lee Young, 40, revealed he sexually molested a 13-year-old while filming it to an undercover officer, and was later arrested. Shante Broady, 37, was also arrested and charged with sex trafficking, including charges for transporting a victim for the purpose of prostitution.

The last Washington offender, Kent resident Shaughn Lambert, 54, was under supervision by Washington State Corrections when his corrections officer found images of child sexual abuse on his phone. His trial is scheduled for trial on July 7.

“There is no greater responsibility than protecting our children from those seeking to sexually abuse them, either online or in person,” Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller said. “The cases we prosecuted over the last month charging child sexual exploitation in person and over the internet, and child sex trafficking are examples of the difficult work we do every day with our law enforcement partners to try to keep children safe.”

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