Ellensburg Sex Offender Sentenced to Federal Prison for Downloading Child Sexual Abuse Material

Yakima, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard Barker announced that Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Aaron Edger Dollarhide, age 39, of Ellensburg, Washington, to 180 months in prison on one count of Receipt of Child Pornography, after a prior conviction for a similar offense. Chief Judge Bastian also imposed 5 years of supervised release.

According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on January 19, 2022, Homeland Security Investigation agents and Ellensburg police officers served a search warrant at Dollarhide’s Ellensburg home. Agents seized Dollarhide’s phone pursuant to that warrant.

Investigators completed a forensic review of Dollarhide’s phone and learned that on January 18, 2022, Dollarhide had downloaded a folder of digital files containing child sexual abuse material. Investigators also located 687 additional videos on the phone depicting children being sexually abused.

Ten years earlier, in 2012, Dollarhide had been sentenced to prison following a conviction for Second Degree Child Molestation in Yakima County Superior Court.

“Today’s sentence reflects our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community and holding individuals accountable for exploiting children,” said Acting United States Attorney Richard Barker. “Mr. Dollarhide’s actions of repeatedly downloading and possessing child pornography, despite a prior conviction for molesting a child, demonstrate a disturbing disregard for the safety and well-being of children. Our office will continue to pursue and prosecute those who exploit children, and we will work tirelessly to ensure that those who do harm young children will face the full consequences of their actions.”

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Murphy.

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