SEATTLE — This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com
A repeat sex offender was sentenced Monday to 15 years in prison in U.S. District Court in Seattle for receipt and possession of images of child sexual abuse.
Alan Lewis Meirhofer, 72, pleaded guilty to the charges in March.
At one point, he was civilly committed to the McNeil Island sexual predator detention facility for 17 years.
“This case involves very serious, terrible, and heartbreaking crimes,” U.S. District Judge John H. Chun said at Monday’s sentencing hearing.
“Following his release from civil commitment, Mr. Meirhofer adapted his predatory behavior to modern technology,” Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller said in a news release. “He exploited children via the internet. In just over two years, there were 14 cyber tips to the Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) because of his sexual exploitation of minors via Google and Instagram.”
Court records reveal that Meirhofer lured teenage boys in the Skagit County area to his home, offering gifts such as alcohol, cash, and marijuana. When one of the boys borrowed Meirhofer’s phone, he discovered photos of the teens that Meirhofer had sent to a group chat. The boy’s mother reported the incident to police, which led to Meirhofer’s arrest in March 2021. His electronic devices were seized as evidence.
Following the arrest, the FBI sought tips related to any internet accounts connected to Meirhofer. More than a dozen reports were received, leading to the discovery of images of child sexual abuse.
Meirhofer’s extensive criminal record
On July 17, 2024, Meirhofer was taken into federal custody.
He has an extensive criminal record, including convictions for burglary, kidnapping, and rape, according to the attorney’s office. In 1990, he was convicted of burglary with a deadly weapon. He was later civilly committed to the Sexually Violent Predator Civil Commitment Center on McNeil Island, but was released in 2017 as a registered level 3 sex offender, a designation indicating a high risk of reoffending.
The investigation was conducted by the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office, Bellingham Police Department, FBI, and the Skagit County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office
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