WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Justice has made a nationwide arrest of 205 accused child sexual abuse offenders and rescued 115 children in a coordinated operation.
In the Western District of Washington, seven federal cases moved forward with criminal charges, pleas, and/or sentencing of those who target minors for sexual abuse.
“FBI Seattle’s Violent Crimes Against Children squad and our partners are hard at work, not only during Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, but also throughout the year,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “We are arresting predators, recovering children, and assisting victims through the support of our victim specialists. Just this fiscal year in the Seattle division, we have arrested 122 subjects and identified or located 59 children.”
These are the FBI-led child sex abuse cases prosecuted in the Western District of Washington in April 2025:
- Convicted sex offender Mitchell Francis Dufault, 36, was sentenced April 7, 2025, to ten years in prison and lifetime supervised release. Dufault distributed images of child sexual abuse via an internet platform and communicated with young people about sexually explicit conduct. Dufault has a prior conviction for child molestation.
- Shante Broady, 37, was arrested April 11, 2025, and charged with sex trafficking through force fraud and coercion and transporting a victim for the purpose of prostitution through coercion and enticement. Broady’s alleged sex trafficking involves both adult and juvenile victims.
- Adam Ronald Ingram, 41, was indicted April 16, 2025, for production of child pornography, enticement of a minor and possession of child pornography. Ingram, a King County resident, communicated with minors in other states and foreign countries to obtain sexually explicit images. Ingram is scheduled for trial in June 2025 and remains detained at FDC SeaTac.
- Michael L. Gershowitz, 45, a historically registered sex offender, pleaded guilty on April 23, 2025, to possession of images of child sexual abuse. Gershowitz came to the attention of law enforcement when internet service providers reported his username to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) for uploading images of child sexual abuse. Gershowitz is scheduled for sentencing on August 4, 2025.
- 40-year-old Randy Lee Young was arrested April 24, 2025, following and investigation that revealed he had sexually molested a 13-year-old. Young was identified by law enforcement after he communicated with an undercover officer about having sex with minors. Law enforcement arrested Young when he arrived at a location where he thought the minors would be present. A review of his phone revealed his efforts to entice a 13-year-old for sexual activity. Young filmed the sexual molestation and is now charged with production of child pornography and attempted enticement of a minor. He remains detained at FDC SeaTac.
- A 54-year-old Kent, Washington resident was indicted April 23, 2025, for possession of images of child sexual abuse. Shaughn P. Lambert was on supervision by Washington State Corrections when his corrections officer found images of child sexual abuse on his phone. A search of Lambert’s residence revealed a number of electronic devices that contained images of child sexual abuse. Lambert is scheduled for trial on July 7, 2025, and remains detained at FDC SeaTac.
“Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”
The operation follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
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