Defendant Described as "Sexually Fixated on Children"

A former Vancouver, Washington resident who pleaded guilty last March to Receipt of Child Pornography failed to show up for sentencing this morning in U.S. District Court in Tacoma. 47-year-old PAUL ERIC PRESLEY, had been released on bond with Geographic Positioning System (GPS) monitoring. On Saturday, November 15, 2008, PRESLEY cut off his GPS ankle bracelet, and apparently fled his Portland, Oregon residence.

At his sentencing hearing scheduled for this morning in front of U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle, prosecutors were asking for a 71 month prison sentence. According to PRESLEY's plea agreement, on December 6, 2006, Vancouver Police responded to a 9-1-1 call at PRESLEY's home. PRESLEY's wife told the officers she called 9-1-1 because PRESLEY had child pornography stored on his desktop and laptop computers. Officers seized the desktop computer but did not find the laptop. The next day PRESLEY's daughter and her boyfriend delivered the laptop to police saying PRESLEY had given them the computer and told them to dispose of it. A forensic examination of the computer revealed more than 2,900 images and 235 movies of children engaged in explicit sexual conduct.

Prosecutors asked for a sentence at the high end of PRESLEY's guidelines range noting "Paul Eric Presley is sexually fixated with children. He has downloaded, stored, and viewed thousands of images of child pornography." The Government noted that the evidence suggested that Presley was openly sexually interested in at least one member of his own family.

PRESLEY's failure to appear for his hearing means he may now be charged with a separate crime punishable by up to ten years in prison.

In order to locate and arrest PRESLEY, law enforcement is releasing his booking photo and asking anyone with knowledge of PRESLEY's whereabouts to contact law enforcement in their area by calling 9-1-1, or to contact the FBI at 360-695-5661.

To obtain a copy of the booking photo via email please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney's Office, at (206) 553-4110.

The case was investigated by the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) and the FBI.

Additional information from Vancouver Police Investigators: There were an estimate of over 7000 images of child pornography in addition to several hundred movie files located as evidence in this case. Vancouver Police conducted the forensic investigation.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Paul Eric Presley should contact their local law enforcement agency immediately.

PASCO, WA – Mark Twain Elementary will hold two assemblies (9:30 AM and 12:30 PM), and a parent night (6:30 PM), on Tuesday, October 28 as part of a kick-off event introducing the school community to "Bully No More."

The school, located in Pasco, became involved in the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program through ESD 123 during the 07-08 school year. Assembly presenter, Dave Rojahn, will teach the four steps to bully prevention through comedy and magic.

Mark Twain Principal, Jody Hughes, is enthusiastic about implementation of the year-long, ongoing process at her school.

For more information, contact Toni Neidhold (ESD 123) at 509.544.5762, or tneidhold@esd123.org.

PASCO, WA – While bullying still may be perceived by some as an inescapable, childhood "right-of-passage," many of today's schools, policymakers, and parents are recognizing this abusive behavior for what it is – and they're ready to do something about it.

Mark Twain Elementary will hold two assemblies (9:30 AM and 12:30 PM), and a parent night (6:30 PM), on Tuesday, October 28 as part of a kick-off event introducing the school community to "Bully No More." The school, located in Pasco, became involved in the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program through ESD 123 during the 07-08 school year. Assembly presenter, Dave Rojahn, will teach the four steps to bully prevention through comedy and magic.

The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, originated by Norwegian creator Dan Olweus, Ph.D., is the most well-known, researched program available. The program has over 35 years of international research and successful implementation.

Mark Twain Principal, Jody Hughes, is enthusiastic about implementation of the year-long, ongoing process at her school.

The program is three-part," explains Hughes. "It provides information for the school, the parents, and the child, while offering the extra tool to address the situation." She adds, "We are providing the opportunity for students to learn the rules, while building positive relationships."

For more information regarding the Olweus program, visit their website at www.hazelden.org/olweus, or contact Toni Neidhold (ESD 123) at 509.544.5762, or tneidhold@esd123.org.

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About ESD 123: Educational Service District 123, based in Pasco, WA, is one of nine ESDs in Washington. Dedicated to delivering collaborative solutions that promote learning, ESD 123 serves 23 school districts in seven counties of Southeastern Washington. Under Superintendent Bruce Hawkins and its board of directors, this legislatively mandated, not-for-profit educational organization provides efficiency of educational systems and equity of learning opportunities for over 60,000 Washington students. For more information about ESD 123, please call 509-544-5700 or 888-547-8441 or visit www.esd123.org.

Pasco, WA—Educational Service District 123, in collaboration with the Washington State Minority and Justice Commission, the Washington State Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (WYLD), Columbia Basin College Office of Diversity, Gonzaga University School of Law, Seattle University School of Law and the University of Washington School of Law, will host a Youth and Justice Forum on October 24, 2008 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Columbia Basin College Byron Gjerde Multipurpose Facility.

The sixth-annual event will give up to 150 local 8th-12th grade students the opportunity to learn about the justice system and career opportunities in the legal profession directly from practicing professionals.

More than 40 professional volunteers include Superior Court judges, attorneys, court reporters, interpreters, police and corrections officers, along with other Benton, Franklin, and Yakima County officials.

The day's activities will include opportunities for the students including: arguing fictitious cases, meeting local leaders in the justice system, learning about and practicing the professions in small breakout groups, and much more.

"It is believed that exposing students to the legal and justice system may increase the number of students choosing a career in the legal profession," says ESD 123 Prevention Services Director Diane Shepherd. "Even if a student is not interested in a legal career path, the exposure to the justice system will enrich the student's civic education."

For more information, contact Diane Shepherd at 509.544.5761 or at dshepherd@esd123.org.

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About ESD 123: Educational Service District 123, based in Pasco, WA, is one of nine ESDs in Washington. Dedicated to delivering collaborative solutions that promote learning, ESD 123 serves 23 school districts in seven counties of Southeastern Washington. Under Superintendent Bruce Hawkins and its board of directors, this legislatively mandated, not-for-profit educational organization provides efficiency of educational systems and equity of learning opportunities for over 60,000 Washington students. For more information about ESD 123, please call 509-544-5700 or 888-547-8441 or visit www.esd123.org.


Attached Media Files: 08Youth&Justice.pdf