Worker arrested in 'kiddie zone' at Evergreen State Fair admitted to child porn

MONROE -- A man who admitted to trafficking in child porn was arrested on an unrelated fugitive warrant at the Evergreen State Fair in Monroe.  He had been working in the kid’s area of the fair.

Investigators say they found more than 500 images of child porn on Dale Roy Fager’s computer and emails to other pedophiles where the 38=year-old talks about his desire to molest children.

Investigators intercepted one email in which Fager said, “If I can ever have the chance to molest and marry a six year old that would be the greatest day in heaven”.  He also wrote, “All kids should be taught how to have sex from an adult."

Snohomish County officials don’t believe anyone was victimized at the fair. County spokeswoman Bronlea Mishler said Fager did pass a background check -- he had used an alias when he applied for the fair job and an Indiana fugitive warrant issued against him for forgery did not pop up.

“The background check runs people through the National Criminal Investigative Database and it only pulls up convictions.  If you have a warrant or been arrested but not charged, that information is not going to come up through this background system,” Mishler said.

Something similar happened at the fair last year. Caitlin Ferry was arrested working in the kids' rides area.  At the time, she was awaiting trial on child molestation charges, and is now in prison.

“Obviously having this happen two years in a row is not something we want,” Mishler said.  “We didn’t want it the first time and it’s terrible to have it happen a second time.  We’re looking into ways we can amplify our background check and run the names who will be working there through a stricter background screen.  That’s something we’re going to look at."

Fager actually was hired by Butler Amusements, a company that works in collaboration with Snohomish County to put on the fair.  Fager used a government-issued ID with a different first name, and passed a background check when hired.

Fager had been working for Butler Amusements for several months, traveling up and down the West Coast.  Police are still investigating to find out if there are any victims out there.  Police said Fager told officers he has never abused a child, but in one of his emails, cited in court documents, he made a reference to getting a divorce because he molested a child in his family.

Fager was being held at the Snohomish County Jail.  He has not been charged yet.