ROBERT C. LEE, 47, of Port Angeles, Washington was sentenced to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma for Possessing Child Pornography. LEE was convicted in September 2004 following a seven day trial in front of U.S. District Court Judge Ronald B. Leighton. In sentencing LEE today Judge Leighton stated that he has "genuine concern that the defendant represents a danger to the community."

In June of 2002, LEE had been released from prison for just a few weeks when Washington State Community Corrections Officers went to his home to investigate parole violations. Officers found an image on LEE's computer that appeared to be child pornography. LEE was returned to prison on other parole violations. After obtaining a warrant, authorities searched LEE's computer and found more than 40 images of child pornography.

LEE has an extensive criminal history, having served 17 years for kidnaping and assaults in Utah and Washington. In court today Assistant United States Attorney Karyn Johnson noted that Lee had a history of violence having shot a Utah sheriff's deputy in the face in 1980. As recently as 2004, Lee committed an assault at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac. Judge Leighton said he was placing a priority on community safety saying, "I cannot be the one who exposes the community to one day more of the risk (LEE) may present."

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated this case with assistance from the Washington State Department of Corrections, the Port Angeles Police Department, the Sequim Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyn Johnson. For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney's Office, Western District of Washington at (206) 553-4110.

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