A Pierce County man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for sex crimes involving minors, after investigators say he arranged what he believed was a meeting with two young girls and a forensic search of his phone revealed he had already been abusing a separate child. Randy Lee Young was also ordered to serve 20 years of supervised release once his prison term ends.
According to The News Tribune, Young, described as 41 at the time of the 2024 communications, exchanged messages between Nov. 8 and Nov. 15, 2024, with someone he believed was a woman offering her 8-year-old and 11-year-old daughters for sex. MyNorthwest gives Young’s age as 40 and reports convictions for attempted enticement of a minor and production of images of child sexual abuse; federal prosecutors announced the sentence, which was handed down in U.S. District Court in Seattle. The woman Young believed he was corresponding with was in fact an undercover law enforcement officer, and he exchanged messages with her over several days, investigators said.
The News Tribune reports that Young drove to Marysville on Nov. 16, 2024, where he was arrested — according to investigators, he had traveled there from Pierce County expecting to meet the children for sexual activity, and law enforcement took him into custody when he arrived at the designated location.
A Second Victim Surfaces From Phone Evidence
What investigators found next expanded the case significantly. A forensic examination of Young's cellphone after his arrest uncovered evidence leading them to a separate victim: a 13-year-old girl from southwest Washington whom Young had met online. The News Tribune's reporting indicates investigators found sexual-abuse material depicting the girl on his phone.
Per the same reporting, Young traveled to the girl's hometown seven times in October and November 2024, and he recorded sexual encounters with her despite knowing her age. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd said Young made his intentions clear while communicating with the undercover officer, and that a 13-year-old had already been victimized by the time he was arrested.
Prosecutors and the Judge Weigh In
Floyd said the sentence reflects the seriousness of the offenses and that the community is safer with Young off the street. Federal prosecutors argued for a lengthy prison term because Young continued pursuing the planned meeting despite having opportunities to stop, and they said the sentence should serve as a deterrent to others seeking to exploit children.
U.S. District Judge Lauren King, who ordered Young to serve 20 years of supervised release after his prison term, praised the victim's cooperation with investigators and told her that Young alone was responsible for the crimes. The 13-year-old victim's mother said Young took away her daughter's sense of safety and ability to trust, telling The News Tribune, “He stole her sense of safety, her ability to trust.”
Investigation Involved Multiple Agencies
FBI Seattle Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington said the evidence found on Young's phone showed repeated abuse of a child and emphasized the bureau's focus on pursuing online predators. The case was investigated by the FBI Seattle Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, with assistance from the Renton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cecelia Gregson prosecuted the case.
A separate hearing has been scheduled for February 2027 to determine restitution owed to the victim. Accounts of the case differ on the exact day Young was sentenced — MyNorthwest reported it took place Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Seattle, while The News Tribune reported the sentencing occurred Monday.
