Kent, Washington Man Indicted in Federal Child Exploitation Case Involving Online Enticement, Firearms, and Narcotics

SEATTLE — A Kent, Washington man has been federally indicted on multiple child exploitation, narcotics, and firearms charges following an FBI investigation tied to online enticement activity involving minors across multiple states, federal prosecutors announced Monday.

According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, Mordien Kan Thach, 32, of Kent, Washington, appeared in U.S. District Court in Seattle and pleaded not guilty to a seven-count federal indictment charging him with:

• Three counts of production of child pornography
• One count of attempted enticement of a minor
• One count of possession of child pornography
• One count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute
• One count of unlawful possession of firearms

The case is scheduled for trial before U.S. District Judge Tana Lin beginning July 6, 2026.

Federal authorities stated the investigation began after the FBI in Wisconsin was contacted in August 2025 by a young teenager who reported that an adult male had both sent and requested sexually explicit images online. Investigators later identified the suspect as Thach, leading federal agents to obtain a court-authorized search warrant for his residence in January 2026.

According to court filings, the search uncovered dealer quantities of cocaine and ketamine along with multiple firearms, including two firearms reported stolen. Investigators also seized electronic devices allegedly containing child sexual abuse material produced by Thach involving underage victims he met through internet-based communication platforms.

Federal prosecutors stated that at least four victims have currently been identified during the investigation. Authorities confirmed that two victims reside in Western Washington while another resides in North Dakota. Investigators additionally stated that the case remains active and ongoing.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd stated that the investigation was conducted as part of Operation Iron Pursuit, a nationwide federal enforcement surge targeting child sexual exploitation offenders and identifying child victims subjected to online abuse.

“This case is part of Iron Pursuit, a one-month, nationwide enforcement surge to find child victims of sex abuse and arrest child sex predators,” Floyd stated. “In April 2026, more than 200 child victims were located and over 350 child sexual abuse offenders were arrested.”

Federal authorities continue warning that online child exploitation investigations increasingly involve offenders using social media systems, messaging applications, encrypted communications platforms, gaming networks, cloud storage ecosystems, and anonymous internet services to contact minors, exchange illicit material, and conceal digital activity.

Investigators stated that modern exploitation investigations frequently overlap with narcotics trafficking, illegal weapons possession, organized criminal behavior, and interstate communication activity due to the broad digital ecosystems now used by offenders operating online.

Thach remains detained at the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac pending further court proceedings.

Federal prosecutors outlined the potential penalties associated with the charges:

• Production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years per count
• Attempted enticement of a minor carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a potential life sentence
• Possession of child pornography carries a maximum sentence of 20 years
• Possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute carries a maximum sentence of 20 years
• Unlawful possession of firearms carries a maximum sentence of 15 years

Federal officials emphasized that the indictment represents allegations only and that the defendant remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in federal court.

The FBI is leading the investigation under the framework of Operation Iron Pursuit, a coordinated national enforcement initiative targeting online child exploitation networks and digital predation activity involving minors.

The Department of Justice additionally highlighted ongoing coordination with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which operates national reporting systems for suspected child exploitation activity and distributes investigative leads to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies nationwide.

Federal authorities continue urging the public to report suspected child exploitation activity through the FBI tipline, local FBI field offices, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reporting systems.

Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson is prosecuting the case on behalf of the federal government.

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