FBI child porn investigation leads to Lewis County

2014.0905.joshua.keele.6787

Joshua Q. Keele sits at the defense table during his bail hearing in Lewis County Superior Court.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A former Salkum man has been arrested and charged with possession of child pornography following a lengthy investigation that started with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s attempts to identify the subjects in a homemade video they intercepted in 2012.

The male wearing a maroon shirt with a shark logo in the video was identified as 38-year-old Joshua Q. Keele, by Keele’s ex-wife; and the male toddler has been identified by a former babysitter and roommate as Keele’s son, according to charging documents.

Since April, when a Lewis County Sheriff’s Office detective received information from the FBI that Keele was suspected of creating and disseminating child pornography, the detective has been collecting computers and other electronic devices and accessories from Keele’s household, while an FBI agent seized his mobile phone, according to the documents.

On Tuesday, detective Duke Adkisson received confirmation at least one of the images, of a young girl, was identified by law enforcement as child pornography. Other confiscated images are still under analysis.

2014.0905.fbi.johndoe28 copy

FBI: Wanted, Seeking information, endangered child alert program

On Thursday, the detective contacted Keele near his current home in Port Hadlock and arrested him for first-degree possession of depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

The charge, filed today in Lewis County Superior Court doesn’t mention any federal charges and does not include any charge of creating or distributing child porn.

Keele was brought before a judge in Lewis County Superior Court this afternoon where he was ordered held on $75,000 bail.

In asking for the high bail, Lewis County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher pointed out Keele has previous felony convictions, including third-degree child molestation from 1998.

Defense attorney Bob Schroeter asked for much lower bail, noting to the judge no minor children reside with Keele and that he is currently undergoing outpatient treatment in Port Townsend.

The seven-page affidavit of probable cause includes statements from individuals that allege Keele was obsessed with methamphetamine and previously made sex videotapes with women in his life. A Panasonic camcorder and an 8 mm tape were among the items seized.

His former girlfriend who is now his wife attended today’s brief hearing and is described as cooperating with the detective as he obtained evidence.

Judge James Lawler appointed Centralia attorney Don Blair to represent Keele.

His arraignment is scheduled for next Thursday.

Tags: ,

10 Responses to “FBI child porn investigation leads to Lewis County”

  1. Republican Logger says:

    I like your style!! 😉

  2. Logger Girl says:

    God made root wads just for special folks like him. …

  3. Rose says:

    $250,000 for bail….should of been 250 million. What if this weirdo’s family comes up with 10% and he runs?

  4. Republican Logger says:

    Where is the childs mother? This man wouldn’t have made it to the arrest stage had it been one of my family members. We would have gone “swimming” at Ike Kinswa. 😉

  5. BleeBloo says:

    How could he do that to his own son?

  6. J.L.H. says:

    Yes the disgusting pig that my sister married is in jail yes yes yes yes yes. Been dealing with this since he stepped into our lives and now the whole world including my parents can see. I was not lying about who he really is I’m so fucking happy. N they disowned me a handful of times and disown me right now, because I stood up for what I believed. I didn’t care if my parents disowned me yes I went against there word and they kept telling me he wasn’t like that anymore. You can’t fix stupid I’m happy I stood what I believed

  7. I left says:

    Wait, $ 75,000 is high bail? I have seen plenty of cases in Lewis County with less serious crimes and first time offenders with higher bail. Why isn’t this bail at least $ 250,000? Shame on Brad Meagher and shame on Judge Lawler.

  8. Ridge says:

    Since he is facing a “Life in Prison” sentence if found guilty. He should have an extremely high bail. The fact that he has had a sex crime before, leads one to think that he was not very well monitored if he was using meth and engaging in other illegal activities.

  9. ▀█▀☸☸dᴀℕℂƸ says:

    sick pos

  10. Korine says:

    sick SOB!!!