Everett man arrested for child porn after yearlong investigation

EVERETT -- Local and federal investigators, working on the case more than a year, wasted no time getting Nathan Coates before a judge.

He's expected to be charged with one count of possession of child pornography and one count of dealing in child pornography.

Prosecutors made it clear; they believe Coates should remain behind bars, saying, "The allegations do include the depiction of a 5-year-old child that is a real child in the area in sexually explicit photographs. He also has five prior warrants for his arrest.  I believe he is a danger to the community."

When the case broke in Cleveland last year, Coates was a clerk at this minimart near the Everett Mall.

Police say because he worked alone and used the store's Wi-Fi, investigators were able to track him down.

They seized his laptop and then searched the Everett apartment he shared with his girlfriend and her two children.

On Coates' laptop, according to court documents, police found a folder called picsxxx. Inside were hundreds of images of suspected child porn and 17 child porn videos, police said.

Among the alleged victims was a girl under 5 and another that was only an infant.

Lindsey Bly lives around the corner from Coates and has two young daughters of her own.

She saw all the cop cars when Coates was arrested Thursday but just found out why.

"It's very disturbing to know that somebody lived on the other side of us that had that stuff in their house. It just scares me.  My kids play out here and I don't know if that guy was out here around them.  It's just unsettling,” neighbor Bly said.

The 5-year-old girl lived near coats and police have talked with her and her parents.

"At this point in the investigation it doesn't appear that there are any other local victims.  Obviously the investigation is ongoing and so we will be checking,” said Everett police officer.

Police will be checking because Coates allegedly told investigators he pawned an iPad on which he kept the majority of his child porn.

Police tracked it down and a computer forensic detective is expected to start combing through it sometime Friday.