Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Faces minimum sentence of 10 years
CLARKSTON — A jury returned a guilty verdict on Wednesday, Dec. 6, in the trial of David Elmo Curry, 38, of Clarkston, who was charged with First Degree Attempted Rape of a Child and Second Degree Attempted Rape of a Child.
Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian presided over the trial, which began on Monday, Dec. 4.
Sentencing in this matter is set for Tuesday, Mar. 26, 2024. Curry faces a minimum sentence of 10 years incarceration and a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment, as well as no less than five years of supervised release and mandatory sex offender registration for each count.
A federal jury deliberated for less than two hours on the day before finding Curry guilty of two counts of attempted enticement of a minor following a three-day trial at the federal courthouse in Yakima.
“This sentence serves as a poignant reminder of the vigilance required to shield our communities from those who prey on the most vulnerable. In a chilling narrative, Curry’s actions, even while on bail for similar charges, lay bare the urgent need for unwavering dedication to protecting our children,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “I’m thankful for our law enforcement partnerships on the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force that continue to demonstrate through these arrests that we will continue to patrol the shadows of the internet to bring these predators to justice.”
Curry was one of 15 men arrested in “Operation Net Nanny,” an online operation where undercover officers looked for men willing to have sex with minors.
He was initially arrested in 2019 in a Yakima house after responding to an online ad by a woman purporting to be the mother of two daughters – ages 11 and 13.
Reports say that in the ad, the mother was seeking money in exchange for sex with her minor children. However, the ad was purposefully placed as a part of a sting operation conducted by the Washington State Patrol, assisted by the Yakima and Union Gap Police Departments and Homeland Security Investigations.
At the time of his arrest, Curry had condoms and flavored lubricant with him. Curry was then charged in Yakima County Superior Court with Attempted First Degree Attempted Rape of a Child and Second Degree Attempted Rape of a Child.
Curry was then released on bail; however, following his release, an undercover Homeland Security Investigations Task Force Officer responded to a separate online ad, which Curry placed while on furlough.
The undercover officer claimed that he was a thirteen-year-old girl. Curry engaged the officer in sexual talk, requested nude images and made arrangements to meet with him in person.
Reports state Curry determined the purported child’s preferred candy and purchased flavored lubricant in a corresponding flavor for a planned meeting the next day, which never took place.
Olivia Harnack is a Journalist at the Whitman County Gazette. Olivia is enrolled at University of Idaho and is majoring in digital film studies. She serves in the United States Army National Guard and is proud to serve Whitman County.
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