On February 5, 2025, United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Zachary Peter Timm, a 32-year-old resident of Spokane, Washington, to 15 years in federal prison for distributing child sexual abuse material. In addition to the prison term, Judge Rice imposed 10 years of supervised release and ordered Timm to pay $48,000 in restitution to his victims.

The case against Timm began on February 21, 2023, when law enforcement received multiple tips about his online activities involving child exploitation material. A search warrant executed at Timm's home in Spokane Valley led to the seizure of a computer and several smartphones. Investigators discovered over 13,000 files containing child sexual abuse material on these devices, including more than 1,000 videos depicting minors under the age of 12.

Further investigation revealed that Timm had engaged in online chats with others where they discussed and exchanged such material. In these conversations, Timm admitted to having sexually abused children in the past and expressed a desire to continue doing so.

“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that those who engage in the distribution of child sexual abuse material will be held fully accountable for their actions,” stated Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Murphy of HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “Protecting children is our top priority, and we are unwavering in our commitment to bringing those who exploit and harm them to justice. This case reinforces that there is no place in our society for those who contribute to the abuse and exploitation of children, and we will continue to pursue justice with relentless determination.”

This prosecution was part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. The project coordinates efforts among federal, state, and local resources to locate and prosecute individuals exploiting children via the Internet while also working to identify and rescue victims.

The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Washington State Patrol, and the Spokane Police Department as part of the Eastern Washington Missing and Exploited Children Task Force (MECTF), affiliated with Washington State Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC). Assistant United States Attorney Ann T. Wick prosecuted this case.