Arlington, WA ranch owner sentenced for child sex abuse
ARLINGTON, Wash. - An Arlington horse ranch owner was sentenced to nearly 16 years in prison on Tuesday for sexually abusing three young girls he groomed.
38-year-old Robert Blessing, the owner of RWB Horse Ranch, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of commercial sexual exploitation of a minor.
The married father of three declined to make a statement in court.
What they're saying:
"He's a monster who targeted children repeatedly, deliberately and without remorse," said Anna Jacobsen. Her daughter was one of the three survivors who came forward. "I've watched her go from a carefree, happy girl to someone who carries fear in her body like it is a second skin. Robert Blessing did that," Jacobsen told Judge Patrick Moriarty.
Judge Moriarty acknowledged the strength it took for Blessing's victims to come forward.
"Mr. Blessing, you have caused a great deal of harm, not only to your victims that are listed, but to everybody around them and this community as a whole. I do hope that these young women will find comfort in knowing that their bravery and their courage has prevented you from harming anyone else," said Moriarty.
Blessing showed no reaction in court as he learned his fate. Judge Moriarty said he felt it appropriate to follow the deal negotiated between the prosecutor and the defense in exchange for a guilty plea.
Dig deeper:
Blessing was sentenced to 102 months of incarceration on count one, 102 months imprisonment on count two and 189 months for count three. The sentences will run concurrently. Blessing will be required to undergo sexual deviancy treatment and register as a sex offender once released.
189 months is 27 months short of the maximum penalty. Judge Moriarty said he felt it appropriate to follow the deal negotiated by the prosecutor and the defense in exchange for a guilty plea.
"There is a lack of criminal history. He has taken account for what he has done. He is not forcing people to be revictimized, which often results in trial in these types of cases where people have to recount the horrible things that occurred," said Judge Moriarty.
Jacobsen says no amount of time can ever atone for the abuse suffered by the victims.
"There is no rehabilitation for someone who feeds on the vulnerability of children. Robert will go to prison; however, his 189-month sentence will never equal the life sentence he gave my daughter and all the others he hurt," said Jacobsen. "I hope that every night in his cell when the lights go out and the silence sets in, Robert hears the cries of girls he destroyed."
Anchorage man sentenced to 30 years
for producing and distributing
child sex abuse videos
Crimes were called ‘despicable and perverse’ by a U.S. Attorney
Published: Dec. 3, 2025 at 2:23 PM PST
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Richard Dougherty, 43, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for possessing and creating sexual abuse videos of children on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Dougherty pleaded guilty to one count of production of child sex abuse videos and possession of child sex abuse material, the U.S. Attorney’s Office claims. In addition, he will also serve a lifetime of supervised release.
From January 2003 to April 2023, Dougherty possessed, received and distributed child sexual assault materials (CSAM). Some of the CSAM he distributed included visual depictions of him sexually abusing a minor.
Throughout the course of the investigation, Dougherty knowingly possessed over 600 CSAM images.
“Mr. Dougherty’s crimes are despicable and perverse. This 30-year sentence ensures that the public and Alaska’s children are protected from his deviancy,” U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman said. “I want to commend the survivors for showing extraordinary strength.”
Man accused of threatening minor, sending child sex abuse and animal abuse videos
Joseph Pacheco, 23, of Everett, Washington, was indicted by a grand jury in Boston on five counts of transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce, knowingly distributing child pornography to a minor, and possession and distribution of animal crushing videos.
By Thea DiGiammerino • Published December 3, 2025 • Updated on December 3, 2025 at 2:18 pm
A Washington state man accused of threatening to murder a minor from Massachusetts and sending the victim graphic videos of child sex abuse and animal abuse is now facing federal charges.
Joseph Pacheco, 23, of Everett, Washington, was indicted by a grand jury in Boston on five counts of transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce, knowingly distributing child pornography to a minor, and possession and distribution of animal crushing videos.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for Massachusetts described Pacheco as sharing values with "nihilistic violent extremists" (NVEs). The term is used to refer to people who law enforcement believes have a goal of "bringing about society’s collapse by sowing chaos and social instability," the office said.
They often use social media to connect with others in an attempt to desensitize them to violence, normalize exposure to graphic material like child sex abuse images and other types of gore, and groom others, particularly minors, into committing acts of violence, according to the Justice Department.
Between June 1 and July 13, Pacheco allegedly sent five threats to the minor victim. The messages included language like: "I will kill you if you ever leave me. I cannot live without you. You're mine forever," and "I have your address and I’ll commit a murder suicide."
Pacheco could face up to 20 years in prison on the child pornography charges and a fine up to $250,000. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
