Police discover child porn on 78-year-old’s desk during welfare check, WA cops say
Police discovered child sexual abuse material on a 78-year-old man’s desk during a welfare check in Washington, authorities said.
Authorities responded to his home at about 1:15 p.m. Oct. 4, the Bellevue Police Department said in an Oct. 8 news release.
A concerned family member had contacted police and asked them to check on him, police spokesperson Drew Anderson told McClatchy News by phone Oct. 9.
Initially, officers tried to contact the man, who lives alone, at his front door but couldn’t reach him, so they went to his back door, police said.
That’s where they were able to talk to him and saw “what appeared to be many images of child sexual abuse material on a desk,” police said.
He then told police he had “tens of thousands” of images in his home and at a storage facility, authorities said in a probable cause document.
Police said he understood the content was illegal.
He handed over boxes, computers, CDs and thumbdrives with the illegal content on it, police said, and directed them to his storage unit.
Richard Alan Rowlett was arrested on these charges:
- Second-degree possession of depictions of minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct
- First-degree viewing depictions of minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct
Anyone with information about Rowlett should contact the Bellevue Police Department’s non-emergency line at 425-577-5656 or by emailing BellevuePD@bellevuewa.gov .
This story was originally published October 9, 2025 at 2:56 PM.
