A former newspaper route driver accused of possessing thousands of images of child pornography pleaded guilty to the charges Wednesday.
William Lee Martin, 41, appeared in Clark County Superior Court on two counts of second-degree possessing depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He was additionally accused of dealing in depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
In an agreement with the prosecution, he changed his pleas to guilty and will be sentenced at a later date.
His brother, Patrick Wayne Martin, 33, faces similar charges.
The Vancouver Police Department began investigating the brothers in April 2012, when police received information from the Interagency Child Exploitation Prevention Team about an Internet address in Vancouver offering child pornography, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Superior Court.
One of the files being offered showed the sexual abuse of adolescent and pre-adolescent boys. Investigators traced the Internet address to a home on Northeast 132nd Avenue. A search warrant was served on the residence, during which the brothers’ computers were seized, and the two were arrested at a separate residence on Nicholson Road court records said.
Patrick Martin confessed that the child pornography on his computer belonged to him, according to court documents.
William Martin is a convicted sex offender and was a contract route driver for The Columbian until his contract was terminated with the newspaper in February. He was previously convicted of first-degree child molestation, according to court records.
On Thursday, the prosecution requested a pre-sentencing investigation for William Martin because of the nature of his crimes.
He is next scheduled to appear in court June 3.
