Former Washington man convicted of sexually explicit conduct with sleeping children

DES MOINES, Wash. – A former Des Moines, Washington, man was convicted in federal court Monday of producing and possessing child pornography, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Robert D. Thorson, 58, was arrested May 30 after his girlfriend contacted the Des Moines police alerting them to sexually explicit images of minors found on Thorson’s phone. He was found guilty following a three-day trial including testimony about images on his phone, computer, thumb drives, and DVDs.

According to court records and testimony, Thorson’s girlfriend was examining his phone for evidence of cheating when instead she found images of him molesting young girls residing in her home. HSI Seattle’s investigation of Thorson’s electronic devices uncovered images of Thorson disturbing the clothing and bedding of sleeping children so he could obtain sexually explicit photos.

HSI agents also found images from a hidden camera installed in a bathroom at the former girlfriend’s residence depicting children using the bathroom and shower. While Thorson was in custody he threatened his former girlfriend via letters demanding she change her statements to the police.

The case was investigated in coordination with the Des Moines Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hobbs and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Cecelia Gregson.

Thorson’s sentencing is set for May 12 before Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez.

The charges in this case are a product of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, and HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators.

Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.

Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 14,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2015, nearly 2,400 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.