Snohomish County man pleads guilty to child sexual abuse crimes

A 43-year-old Snohomish County man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Seattle to charges of producing images of child sexual abuse and attempting to entice minors, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. 

Bennett Park was apprehended in August 2023 while attempting to pick up a 13-year-old in Everett, after expressing his intent to molest the child to an undercover officer.

The plea agreement reveals that in July 2023, Park responded to an online ad placed by an undercover Homeland Security Investigation agent. The ad falsely claimed the agent had two young children available for molestation. 

Park indicated he was already abusing children aged 11 to 17 and expressed interest in the agent's fictional children. Authorities quickly placed Park under surveillance to protect the 13-year-old he mentioned earlier. He was arrested on August 8, 2023, shortly after the minor entered his vehicle. 

During their investigation, authorities reviewed Park's electronic devices and uncovered communications with dozens of minors, with 23 victims identified. 

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Park had coerced the minors into providing images of sexual abuse through platforms such as Instagram, Discord, Snapchat, Facebook, Gmail, and Zoom. The plea agreement details his offenses involving eight different minor victims.

Park faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years for producing child pornography, with a maximum of 30 years. 

The charge of attempted enticement of a minor carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years and could result in a life sentence. 

Prosecutors will recommend a sentence of no more than 25 years, while the defense will suggest no less than 20 years. However, U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez is not bound by these recommendations. 

Sentencing is set for April 25, 2025.

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Crime and Public SafetySnohomish County