SPOKANE, Wash. — United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Richard Dale Wright to 60 months in federal custody for downloading images of child pornography.
Judge Rice ordered Wright to be taken into immediate custody and ordered him to serve the remainder of his life on federal supervision if released from prison. Wright pleaded guilty earlier this year to receipt of child pornography.
Court documents say that an undercover FBI Special Agent went online in the spring of 2019 to identify people in Spokane who were sharing known or suspected child pornography. According to a press release, the agent downloaded a number of child pornography files from Wright's computer and a search warrant at his home in Spokane Valley resulted in the seizure of his digital devices.
Wright's devices contained images and videos of child pornography dating back to 2017.
Wright had been a girls' volleyball coach in Spokane and Spokane Valley, including at Lewis and Clark High School. He also coached Apex, a club youth volleyball program, serving as director. Lastly, Wright was also on the Board of Directors for the Evergreen Region Volleyball Association.
Although the ages of the victims depicted in Wright's files were consistent with the players he coached, the FBI was not able to identify any of his former players on his devices.
“It is deeply troubling that a coach, entrusted with the safety of teenage – and younger – girls, engaged in child pornography conduct that demonstrated his sexual interest in girls that age,” said Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. “It is a relief that the FBI did not recover evidence that Mr. Wright recorded child pornography images or videos of any of the players he coached. Today’s sentence nevertheless serves as a clarion call to anyone who would endanger or exploit children in the Eastern District or elsewhere: law enforcement is actively investigating your online conduct, and the consequences for engaging in child exploitation are severe.”
“As a coach and community role model, Mr. Wright held a position of trust and he should be held to a high standard of conduct,” said Donald M. Voiret, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle Field Office. “Instead, he possessed hundreds of images that revictimize innocent children every time their abuse is viewed. I commend the investigators and prosecutors who vigilantly protect our youth.”
The case against Wright was pursued as part of Project Safe Childhood. a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
For more information on Project Safe Childhood, visit their website.