A Pierce County man convicted on dozens of child sex charges is set to learn his fate in a Tacoma courtroom this week, as judges weigh years of allegations, prior family-court findings, and what prosecutors describe as an enormous stash of exploitative images involving young children. Prosecutors say the case spans both hands-on abuse and the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material tied to incidents in 2022.
According to court records, Joshua Wayne Strickland was convicted on 38 counts, including two counts of first-degree child molestation, one count of first-degree voyeurism, one count of first-degree rape of a child, one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, nine counts of dealing in depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, 23 counts of possession of depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and an additional possession count involving adult material, as reported by KOMO News. Prosecutors say the mix of counts reflects both alleged hands-on crimes and an effort to hold accountable trafficking and sharing of abusive material.
Earlier findings and license revocation
The current criminal case comes on the heels of earlier, unrelated family-court findings. A 2020 Washington Court of Appeals opinion upheld conclusions that Strickland had sexually abused a former girlfriend’s young daughter and posed a danger to another child, findings that were central to prior custody proceedings. As outlined by the Washington Court of Appeals, judges in that matter found Strickland not credible and restricted his access to children.
Those concerns later spilled over into his professional life. The state Department of Health revoked Strickland’s phlebotomist and certified nursing assistant credentials in March 2023 after concluding he had sexually abused a minor in his care, according to a release from the Washington State Department of Health.
Digital trove and the alleged Walmart incident
Prosecutors say the criminal case now heading into sentencing centers on incidents in 2022, when Strickland picked up two children from daycare. One child later told investigators he put her in a diaper without any medical need and inappropriately touched her near a Puyallup Walmart. Detectives reported finding tens of thousands of images and videos on Strickland’s devices, many depicting child sexual abuse and material that investigators say suggests a fixation involving children and diapers, and said they located an image believed to have been taken during the Walmart incident. The volume of digital evidence is central to the prosecution’s portrayal of repeated harm, according to reporting by KOMO News.
Sentencing logistics
Strickland is scheduled to be sentenced in Pierce County Superior Court in downtown Tacoma. The court, which handles felony sentencing and related filings, is located at 930 Tacoma Ave S. The clerk’s office posts information and contacts for felony dockets on the court’s website, according to the Pierce County Superior Court site.
Families respond and what’s next
Victims’ family members have voiced anger and are pressing for a lengthy prison term at sentencing, and some say they plan to stay engaged if the case continues through appeals or other post-conviction challenges. Judges are expected to consider the breadth of the convictions, the scale of the digital evidence, and the earlier family-court findings in deciding a term. After sentencing, any appeals or post-trial motions will determine how the legal battle unfolds from here.
