Former National Guard member sentenced to 4 years in prison for possession of images of child rape and abuse

Seattle – A 56-year-old Maple Valley, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to four years in prison and 15 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown.  Paul Von Nahme was arrested in April 2021, after an overseas law enforcement agency reported that Von Nahme was using the ‘Kik’ social media platform to send images of child sexual abuse to a person overseas.  The agency also reported Von Nahme was making claims online that he raped a 9-year-old child.  At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones said, “You need to remember the damage and devastation these images do to the victims…. Your conduct helps make the [child pornography market] survive.”

According to records filed in the case, when law enforcement served a search warrant on Von Nahme’s electronic devices they found more than 3,400 images of child rape and abuse.  The images of child sexual abuse came from all over the world: Russia, Australia, France, and Indonesia among others.   Under a law passed in 2018, the Amy, Vicki, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act (AVAA), Von Nahme must pay at least $3,000 to each child identified in the horrific images.  In this case the amount of restitution could be as much as $126,000.  The restitution amount will be determined at a hearing in late August 2022.

Von Nahme pleaded guilty on November 3, 2021.  He was released on bond pending sentencing.  However, in March 2022, he was returned to custody for having unauthorized electronic devices to connect to the internet.

Von Nahme will be required to register as a sex offender when released from prison.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Seattle Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC).

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Laura Harmon.  Ms. Harmon is a Deputy King County Prosecutor specially designated to prosecute child exploitation crimes in federal court.