WSP Employee Arrested By Seattle's Internet Crimes Task Force

KIRKLAND, WA — A Washington State Patrol employee was arrested by a Seattle SWAT team in Kirkland Wednesday morning and booked into jail on suspicion of attempted child rape, according to investigators. In a news release, a WSP spokesperson said leadership immediately removed the employee from his duties after his arrest, and an internal probe will determine disciplinary action. The Seattle Police Department will lead a criminal investigation independently.

"As parents and Washingtonians ourselves, we are shocked and deeply disappointed by these serious and significant allegations," said Sergeant Darren Wright, a public information officer for Washington State Patrol. "To ensure a fair and transparent process, WSP cannot and will not be involved in the investigation."

According to WSP, the employee did not work as a trooper, but as a commercial vehicle enforcement officer assigned to inspect school buses. Weight said the safety inspections took place in a garage with no children present.

Neither agency named the employee Wednesday, but court filings published Wednesday afternoon identified him as Trevor Smith, 27, of Everett.

According to a probable cause document, Smith responded to an advertisement posted by investigators earlier in the month. Police said an undercover detective, posing as the mother of two young children, exchanged messages with Smith and met with him at a Kirkland restaurant, then a hotel Tuesday night. According to investigators, he entered the hotel room with the detective, expecting to find two children inside, but was greeted instead by a SWAT team.

Prosecutors said Smith has not been formally charged, and a filing decision is expected Friday. A King County judge set bail at $150,000.

Wright said WSP would not comment further on the matter until the judicial process concludes.

"Working for WSP in any capacity is an honor and privilege and we are held by the public, our industry, and ourselves to the highest standards of behavior and trust. Any act that would fall beneath those standards and compromise our commitment to keeping all members of the public safe and respected is a serious betrayal of that trust. We must now allow the judicial process to move forward which includes respect for the needs and rights of victims, the investigative agencies, the courts, and accused persons until final determination of guilt or innocence."

The operation was led by Seattle's Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, a task force that coordinates such investigations across Washington. In December, the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office noted a spike in crimes against children online since the pandemic began. Prosecutors estimated Seattle's unit received as many as 150 reports of internet crimes in Washington each day.

Learn more about the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit on the Seattle Police Department website.