Issaquah Man Pleads Guilty To Child Porn Charges

ISSAQUAH, WA — An Issaquah man on Monday pleaded guilty to federal child pornography charges and could face up to 20 years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

61-year-old Philip Gilbert was arrested last summer and charged in federal court in October. According to a plea agreement, an internet service provider contacted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children after graphic images of children were uploaded from his account.

At the time of his arrest, Gilbert worked in the IT department at the Archdiocese of Seattle, prosecutors said.

Detectives served a search warrant at his home and seized electronic devices containing more than 250 images of child pornography, according to investigators.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, a victim contacted investigators after Gilbert's arrest and reported him for molestation, prompting multiple charges of sexual abuse in California, which carry the potential for life in prison. Gilbert will be transferred to California after his federal sentence.

The Washington case was investigated by the King County Sheriff's Office and Homeland Security Investigations. Gilbert is scheduled for a federal sentencing hearing on Sept. 25, 2020.