In brief: Temple invites public after hate crime
In the wake of a police investigation into the painting of a swastika on the wall of Temple Beth Shalom at 1322 E. 30th Ave., the congregation is opening its doors to the community for a special service at 6 p.m. Friday.
“We’re inviting the community to join us to show solidarity,” Rabbi Tamar Malino said.
The swastika was discovered during Saturday’s service for Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.
The Spokane Police Department is treating the incident as a hate crime, police spokeswoman Monique Cotton said. The investigation is ongoing.
On Monday, the Spokane Human Rights Commission released a statement deploring the incident.
“This act also represents an offense against the values that we cherish: acceptance and mutual respect,” the statement said. “It is in times like these that we must all make a pledge to uphold these values, educate ourselves and stand against intolerance and prejudice in our community.”
Man gets 15 years in child porn case
A Spokane man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography.
Timothy J. Carlson, 58, will be on court supervision for the rest of his life and will be required to register as a sex offender after he is released, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The FBI was investigating a foreign website that was distributing child pornography when their attention turned to Carlson.
They served a search warrant at his Spokane home in November 2013.
Carlson reportedly admitted downloading the child pornography since 2009.
The case was part of Project Safe Childhood, a program to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Sex offender pleads guilty to child porn
A 51-year-old convicted sex offender from Oregon likely will spend 10 years in federal prison after investigators uncovered thousands of photos deemed child porn on his computer in Asotin County.
George E. Cupp pleaded guilty in a Spokane federal courtroom Tuesday to possession of child pornography.
In September 2013, investigators were tipped to Cupp by a photo-sharing website, which reported multiple uploads of lewd pictures of minors involved in sex acts. The user’s email address was Cupp’s full name, according to court documents.
Cupp, who was found guilty of attempted sodomy in Oregon, already was checking in as a registered Level 2 sex offender with the Asotin County Sheriff’s Office.
He admitted to possession of the pornography during an interview with authorities there.
A plea agreement calls for Cupp to be imprisoned for 10 years and then supervised by court officers for the rest of his life.
He also faces a potential $1,000 restitution payment to two named victims in court records.