Puyallup Man Arrested, Accused Of Child Sex Abuse

PUYALLUP, WA — Federal authorities arrested a Puyallup man Wednesday night at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, who prosecutors allege produced and shared child pornography. Shawn Stone, 21, was intercepted by FBI agents after arriving on a flight from Amsterdam and appeared in U.S. District Court in Seattle for an initial hearing Thursday.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, FBI investigators linked Stone to a username posting on an online forum where abusers share imagery depicting child abuse. Prosecutors said the FBI is investigating Stone for allegedly creating and moderating the discussion board and sexually abusing two minors during a family trip to Germany in 2019. Investigators said a preliminary search of his electronic devices uncovered multiple images of sexual abuse.

The U.S. Attorney's Office filed charges Thursday alleging one count of production of child pornography and one count of transportation of child pornography. If he is found guilty, the two charges carry a combined minimum prison sentence of 20 years.

The FBI is leading the investigation with assistance from several other agencies, including the Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff's Department and Washington State Patrol. Stone is expected to enter a plea at a later hearing.