SeaTac man pleads guilty to child exploitation crimes involving sexual abuse of young boys

Seattle – A 37-year-old SeaTac, Washington, man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to four federal felonies related to child sexual abuse, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.  BRANDAN L. WILKINS pleaded guilty to travel with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor; possession of child pornography; receipt of child pornography; and enticement of a minor.  WILKINS faces a mandatory minimum 10 years in prison and up to 30 years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour on May 18, 2021.

According to records filed in the case, in July 2018, an electronic service provider notified the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that an internet account later linked to the defendant received a video of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  Law enforcement identified WILKINS as the owner of the internet account.  Search of his online activity revealed WILKINS was posing as a 13-year-old boy to solicit sexually explicit pictures from young teens.  When law enforcement served a search warrant at WILKINS’ residence, they seized electronic devices containing child pornography.

When law enforcement searched WILKINS’ wallet, they found a student ID card for a youth that WILKINS had befriended.  Interviews with WILKINS and the youth revealed WILKINS had traveled with the victim to various locations to engage in sexual activity.  In 2009 and 2011, WILKINS traveled with the youth who was then 12-years old to Disneyland and other locations where he engaged in sexual activity with the child.

WILKINS was employed as a TSA agent at Sea-Tac airport.  He has been in custody since his arrest in December 2018.

Enticement of a minor carries a mandatory minimum ten years in prison.  Traveling to engage in illegal sexual conduct is punishable by up to 30 years in prison.  Possession of child pornography is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.  Receipt of child pornography is punishable by a mandatory minimum 5 years in prison and up to 20 years in prison.

The case was investigated by the Kent Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC).

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by United States Attorneys Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.