Tukwila Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Images of Child Rape

          A 40-yearold Tukwila, Washington resident pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to production and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. JESSE LEE ALLEN, was arrested in November 2016, after a witness reported that she had seen videos of the molestation of a young child on ALLEN’s cell phone.  The witness made a report to Tukwila Police in October 2016 and ALLEN was located and arrested a few weeks later.  ALLEN faces a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Zilly on June 7, 2018.

            According to records filed in the case, the witness was involved in a romantic relationship with ALLEN and at one point checked his phone to see if there were images of other women ALLEN might be dating.  The witness instead discovered three videos that showed the sexual molestation of a 6-year-old child.  The witness immediately went to police.

            Production of child pornography is punishable by a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison and up to 30 years in prison.  Possession of child pornography is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

            The case was investigated by the Tukwila Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigation (HSI).  The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Cecilia Gregson. Ms. Gregson is a Senior Deputy King County Prosecutor specially designated to prosecute child exploitation cases in federal court.