West Seattle Blog… | WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Alki man arrested in connection with child pornography investigation; verdict in target deadlock; arson case tracking

three notes in West Seattle Crime Watch:

CHILD PORNOGRAPHY INVESTIGATION: Thursday morning, a reader texted us about what appeared to be a multi-agency warrant raid on a house in Upper Alki. No information was available on this until this message from the SPD today, and tonight we uncovered more via court documents. In the initial message, police said: “Detectives from the Seattle Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit took (the 37-year-old suspect) into custody Thursday morning following a a lengthy investigation related to child sexual abuse material.” They say he confessed to “downloading CSAM material and communicating with others on online chat with minors” and was booked in the King County Jail. He is not yet charged but had a hearing this afternoon, at which his bail was set at $50,000; he has since posted bond and been released, according to the prison record. Probable cause documents indicate that the investigation began last May, when an Internet service provider reported “that a user had uploaded one or more files containing depictions of a minor engaging in behavior sexually explicit on his account”. Detectives then identified the suspect via internet and phone records. According to King County Attorney’s Officethe conditions of the suspect’s release include “no contact with minors without exception, and not to access the Internet without monitoring software”.

TARGET WATERPROOF VERDICT: Last week we reported that the trial had started for 32 years Timothy A. Clemanscharged with attempted first-degree kidnapping for attempting to take hostages at knifepoint in the village of Westwood Target store last year. A stalemate of several hours ensued. The trial, in which Clemans was representing himself, was expected to last up to two weeks, but our check of court records online tonight reveals it only lasted a week. According to court documents, Clemans was found guilty of the charges, with the additional finding that he was armed with a deadly weapon. He is to be sentenced before the King County Superior Court Judge Marshal Ferguson April 7.

THE FIRE STOP HAS BEEN POSTPONED AGAIN: Man charged with arson in two-alarm 17th/Barton apartment fire, 35 Ermiyas N. Woldearegay, has not yet been brought to justice, although four weeks have passed since the charges were filed. Court documents show his first date was postponed because he was ‘medically unavailable’; on the second and third dates, he refused to come to court. The most recent document said Woldearegay’s defense attorney hoped to meet with him to see if the issue of jurisdiction “needs to be raised.” However, the document also stated that Woldearegay had refused prison visits.