Former Seattle Mayor's son charged with dealing, possessing child porn
SEATTLE - The son of former Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn has been charged with dealing and possessing child pornography, according to charging docs obtained by FOX 13 News.
Jack McGinn, 29, faces charges of first-degree dealing in child sex abuse materials, and a first-degree charge of possession of child sex abuse materials.
FOX 13 News previously reported that an investigation began after a "CyberTip" was submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Charging docs obtained by FOX 13 News details that the tip came from Google, which detected that an email associated with Jack McGinn uploaded an estimated 700 files containing child sex abuse to a Google Drive account.
According to charging docs, a Google employee "viewed the files to the extent necessary to confirm" their contents, then sent the CyberTip to NCMEC, which traced the associated IP addresses to Seattle.
A Seattle Police detective reviewed the files attached to the CyberTip, describing in detail horrific accounts of child sex abuse in the charging documents.
The detective received records from CenturyLink and AT&T, the service providers for the associated IP addresses, revealing an address registered to Jack McGinn’s mother Peggy Lynch. Authorities followed up on leads, interviewing Jack’s boss at Essen Technologies in Kirkland, where they learned Jack had moved into his parent’s house after Mike McGinn and Lynch moved to the East Coast around 2021.
Detectives served a search warrant for location data from AT&T, and confirmed Jack McGinn’s new address, as well as an email address matching the one identified in the NCMEC CyberTip.
Police served another search warrant and arrested McGinn at his house.
According to charging docs, McGinn told detectives during an interview that he saw ads for child pornography while browsing sites like "Silk Road"—an infamous and long-defunct dark web site known for illegal drug trading.
FOX 13 News previously reported that McGinn admitted to going on "weekend cocaine benders" where he would watch child pornography, then feel disgusted afterward, according to court docs.
Docs say McGinn explained he "missed out on normal childhood sexual experiences because he did not talk to many girls [in] high school," court docs say. McGinn stressed that he has never been "hands-on" with a child, and claimed he would "close out the video" if it was of a young toddler — although such videos remained on his computer, charging docs say.
After describing more disturbing details of the child sex abuse materials, charging docs say detectives searched McGinn’s home and found several "child-size" sex dolls that "appeared to have been used" in his bedroom. They also recovered adult-size sex dolls, according to documents.
MORE CRIME HEADLINES FROM FOX 13 NEWS:
LIVE: Chad Daybell trial begins after deaths of wife, 2 children found buried in Idaho
Tacoma police officer cleared in Manuel Ellis’ death hired by Thurston County Sheriff’s Office
Green Hill School security guard caught laughing after detectives say she facilitated attack on teen
Docs: WA mother stabbed son 16+ times, repeatedly lied to police
To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX 13 Seattle newsletter.
Prosecutors have asked for McGinn to be held on $70,000 bail, due to the nature of the crimes and McGinn’s close proximity to a nearby park, as well as his next-door neighbor having children around four to five years old.
McGinn was also ordered to not consume alcohol or non-prescription drugs, or have contact with a minor while his case is pending.