SEATTLE—A 40-year-old Pierce County man was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after being convicted of attempting to arrange the sexual abuse of young girls and producing images of child sexual abuse, federal prosecutors said.
Randy Lee Young was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Seattle by Judge Lauren King. In addition to the prison term, he was ordered to serve 20 years of supervised release. A separate hearing is scheduled for February 2027 to determine restitution for the victim.
Young was taken into federal custody on April 24 following and investigation that revealed he had sexually molested a 13-year-old. He was then arrested on Nov. 16, 2024, in Marysville, after he drove from Pierce County to meet someone he believed was the mother of 8- and 11-year-old girls who would allow him to sexually assault them. Between Nov. 8 and 15, 2024, he had exchanged text messages with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as that mother. When he arrived at the arranged location, officers took him into custody.
A forensic examination of Young’s cellphone after the arrest uncovered evidence of a separate crime. Investigators determined that in October and November 2024, Young had met a 13-year-old girl online, traveled to her hometown in southwest Washington seven times, and produced videos of himself sexually abusing her. Text messages showed the girl had told him her age.
“Not only did Mr. Young demonstrate he was willing to travel across Washington state to exploit children, but his phone also contained videos of him actually abusing a child on multiple occasions,” said W. Mike Herrington, special agent in charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “We hope this sentence will protect the youth of the Pacific Northwest from Mr. Young for a long time and send a strong message to other would-be predators that they cannot hide behind supposed anonymity online. The FBI and our partners will pursue these offenders and hold them to account for the lifelong harm they have inflicted on our children.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd said the case illustrated both Young’s clear intentions and the discovery of an actual victim once he was in custody.
“The community is safer with this defendant off the street,” Floyd said. “Mr. Young made his intentions clear while communicating with the undercover officer. Then when he was arrested law enforcement discovered a 13-year-old had already been victimized. This lengthy sentence is the appropriate result.”
During the sentencing hearing, Judge King noted the victim’s cooperation with investigators and stated that Young alone bore responsibility for the crimes. The case was investigated by the FBI Seattle’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force with assistance from the Renton Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cecelia Gregson.
The charges carry significant mandatory minimum sentences under federal law. Attempted enticement of a minor is punishable by a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. Production of images of child sexual abuse carries a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life. The 15-year sentence imposed in this case aligns with the mandatory minimum for the production charge.
Cases of this type frequently begin with online communications that law enforcement monitors through undercover operations. In Young’s case, the undercover contact led to his arrest and the subsequent discovery of evidence involving an actual minor victim. Federal authorities have emphasized in recent years that individuals who use the internet to seek out children for sexual exploitation often leave digital trails that investigators can use to identify both attempted and completed offenses.
The Western District of Washington has prosecuted multiple child exploitation cases under Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative that coordinates federal, state, and local efforts to combat the online sexual exploitation of children.
The restitution hearing set for 2027 will address financial compensation to the identified victim.
Author: Mario Lotmore
