Nine Mile Falls man sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for possessing, creating child pornography

A 60-year-old Nine Mile Falls man was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for possessing and creating child pornography.

Robert Wayne Hutton pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in early January. About a week later, he was convicted of production and attempted production of child pornography after a bench trial.

U.S. District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Hutton to 20 years in prison and a lifetime of supervision, along with $25,000 in restitution.

According to court documents, Hutton secretly put cameras in a bathroom to film a naked child he knew between May 2021 and May 2022.

“For months, Mr. Hutton used a secret camera to record images of a young victim. He was also engaged in online trading of child pornography with similar-minded offenders. Our office prioritizes these offenses against our community’s youngest and most vulnerable and will continue to aggressively prosecute those who harm children,” U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref said in a statement.

Hutton had a prior conviction for communicating with a minor for immoral purposes from 2009.

“This case was particularly heinous; the victim was preyed upon by someone in a position of trust. Though there is nothing my office can do to undo the hurt this victim has felt, I hope that healing can begin with this conviction,” said Erika George, prosecuting attorney for Stevens County. “I would like to thank the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office for their hard work in their investigation, and I am equally grateful for the efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in their successful prosecution.”