Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Man attempted to meet young girl in Othello
OTHELLO — An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who planned to meet a young local girl here for sex has been sentenced to federal prison.
Koby Don Williams, 49, of Ellensburg, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Thomas O. Rice to 135 months in federal prison, to be followed by 15 years probation.
He was convicted of attempted online enticement.
According to court records, Williams replied to a decoy online post as part of an undercover sting to catch pedophiles willing to meet minors for sex.
The post suggested 13-year-old “Rebecca” was a prostitute in the Othello area, records show. Williams chatted online with an officer pretending to be the young girl multiple times before agreeing to meet her at the Quality Inn in Othello, where he would pay her for sex acts.
Williams went to the hotel on July 26, 2022, where he was arrested, records show. A search of his vehicle turned up Williams’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement badge, two bottles of generic Viagra and $4,075 in U.S. currency in a credit union envelope.
During trial, Williams testified that he went to the hotel to rescue the girl from sex traffickers, records show. The jury did not believe his testimony and he was convicted.
“Mr. Williams held a duty of trust within the Eastern Washington law enforcement community, and he breached that trust by seeking out what he thought was a child for sex,” U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref said following sentencing. “He then attempted to use his position as a law enforcement officer to explain away his conduct.”
“Mr. Williams knew exactly what he was doing as he attempted to meet a minor for sex.” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “What makes this even more despicable is that he was a member of law enforcement, entrusted with protecting the public.”
Othello police detective Sgt. Brent McFarlane called sex exploitation by a law enforcement officer “horrific.”
“Sexual exploitation of children, human sex trafficking of children, and internet crimes against children often go unnoticed. It is deeply concerning when a member of law enforcement is involved in committing these horrific acts,” McFarlane said. “Sadly, the online world provides criminals with easy access to children. This stark reality underscores the need for proactive and coordinated investigations. This case demonstrates the collaboration between federal and state partners to protect the most vulnerable and hold perpetrators accountable.”
In addition to Othello police, the FBI, Moses Lake and Toppenish police and the state Department of Corrections participated in the investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Asst. U.S. Attorney Ann Wick.
Roger Harnack is owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. An award-winning journalist, photographer, editor and publisher who grew up in Eastern Washington, he's one of only two Washington state journalists ever to receive the international Golden Quill for editorial/commentary writing. Roger is committed to preserving local media, and along with it, a local voice for Eastern Washington.
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