Law Enforcement Today
SEATTLE, WA - A 63-year-old man named Arthur Charles Rickard has been arrested after police discovered over a dozen binders filled with decades' worth of child pornography in a dumpster near Queen Anne Ave N and John St. The binders were found by two homeless individuals on March 3rd, who alerted authorities after discovering the disturbing contents. The police later retrieved 14 binders and additional loose papers, all meticulously organized and containing child sex abuse material printed from around 1998 to 2013.
Upon further investigation, officers found a doctor's note addressed to Rickard mixed in with the binders, which led detectives to his apartment. When they executed a search warrant on March 21st, they found more printed child sex abuse material and additional content on his computer. During questioning, Rickard reportedly confessed to recently discarding the binders, as well as admitting to having molested approximately 50 children prior to his initial report and arrest in 1983.
Rickard's history includes a past arrest in 1983 for two counts of sexual assault in Montana, although he was not officially charged. He indicated to police that he had not had any further contact with children since then, although he revealed that all his sexual encounters in life had been with minors. Authorities are concerned about his potential to offend again and have set a $50,000 bail, alongside a strict no-contact order with children and restricted internet access.
Some of the troubling images in the binders depicted children as young as six years old, and the materials appeared to have been printed from various online sources. Douglas Wagoner, the Director of Legislative and Public Affairs for the King County Prosecutor's Office, emphasized the importance of paying full attention to cases involving child exploitation, stating that police and prosecutors are working closely to advance the investigation.
Rickard is currently facing charges of first-degree and second-degree possession of child pornography, with a court date scheduled for April 7th. The ongoing investigation may lead to additional charges as authorities continue to process the evidence discovered in his possession.