PORT TOWNSEND — A Sequim man who had intended to pay $300 to have sex with two children has been sentenced in Jefferson County Superior Court to 6½ years in prison.
Andrew M. Worley, 34 when he was arrested in March in Port Hadlock, also will be in community custody for three years when he completes term, Judge Keith Harper decided Friday.
Worley, arrested in what law enforcement officials said was a wide-ranging “Net Nanny” sting operation, had pleaded guilty Aug. 17 to single counts of commercial sexual abuse of a child and communication with a minor for immoral purposes and two counts of attempted child molestation.
The mutli-agency undercover operation, targeting adults who wanted to have sex with children, led to the arrests of 10 men between 20 and 77 years old from Sequim, Port Townsend, Quilcene, Bremerton, Hoodsport and Auburn.
It included officers posing as children who were placing sexually aggressive online ads.
Worley was prosecuted by Clallam County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Michele Devlin and Felony Prosecuting Attorney Steve Johnson under the authority of Jefferson County special deputy prosecuting attorney appointments.
Commercial sexual abuse of a minor, a Class B felony, occurs when someone solicits sex with a minor “in return for anything of value,” according to the Revised Code of Washington.
Worley responded to one ad placed by law enforcement authorities that a “petite princess” was looking for a “daddy,” arriving at a house in Port Hadlock — rented by the State Patrol — with $300 that he intended to give two 13-year-old girls in exchange for sex.
“To Worley’s surprise, he was met by armed law enforcement officers inside the home in Port Hadlock,” according to a news release on the sentencing from the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
“Luckily, there were no actual victims.”
Devlin and Johnson argued for a 7½-year sentence, and attorney Scott Charlton of Port Townsend, representing Worley, recommended the minimum sentence of 5½ years.
Worley had initially been charged with two counts of second-degree attempted rape of a child, two counts of attempted commercial sexual abuse of a minor and one count of communication with a minor for immoral purposes.
The Net Nanny program, coordinated by the State Patrol, began in August 2015.
It involved more than 60 law enforcement staff from 12 agencies, including the Jefferson County and Clallam County sheriff’s offices; Port Townsend, Port Angeles and Sequim police departments, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI.
“This result would not have been possible but for a coordinated effort by local law enforcement,” Devlin said.
“Anyone who is lurking online with the intent to victimize children should be aware that these professionals are working overtime to keep our kids safe.”
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
