Case file: Sex offender photographed young girls at Costco
SEATTLE - A sex offender who moved to Washington state from Texas has been arrested on suspicion of distributing child pornography, and investigators say he secretly took more than 100 close-up photos of young girls at a Costco store where he worked as a contract employee.
The suspect, Gregory Sean O'Neall of Des Moines, was arrested Thursday by federal agents after investigators served a search warrant and found images of young girls engaged in sex acts stored on his home computer, according to court documents in the case.
The arrest came after an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security uncovered evidence that O'Neall, using the screen name "Animal instinct," downloaded and distributed images of girls as young as age 3 to 5 engaged in sex acts with adult males, court documents say.
During the course of the investigation, a Homeland Security agent discovered that "Animal instinct" also had posted nine photo albums to a Russia-based website with names like "More Costco Cuties," "Princess of the Launderette" and "Still More Costco Cuties," court files say.
The "Costco Cuties" albums were found to contain what appeared to be 112 secretly taken close-up photos of random young girls shopping with their families at Costco stores. In a chat section with the photos, "Animal instinct" said he took the photos himself, according to court documents.
The investigation later found that O'Neall was employed by Warehouse Demo Services as a food sample provider at a Costco store in Federal Way, and some of the photos posted by "Animal instinct" on the website showed the food sampler station.
Agents then found that O'Neall was required to register as a sex offender in Texas following a previous criminal conviction in 1991. Records also showed that O'Neall updated his sex offender status with his current Washington state address in March.
A search warrant was served at O'Neall's home and numerous child porn photos were found on his home computer, court documents say.
O'Neall was arrested Thursday by federal agents for investigation of possessing and distributing child pornography.
Both Costco and WDS say they're very concerned, they want to figure out what happened, and want to make sure it never happens again. O'Neall remains in federal detention on suicide watch.
The suspect, Gregory Sean O'Neall of Des Moines, was arrested Thursday by federal agents after investigators served a search warrant and found images of young girls engaged in sex acts stored on his home computer, according to court documents in the case.
The arrest came after an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security uncovered evidence that O'Neall, using the screen name "Animal instinct," downloaded and distributed images of girls as young as age 3 to 5 engaged in sex acts with adult males, court documents say.
During the course of the investigation, a Homeland Security agent discovered that "Animal instinct" also had posted nine photo albums to a Russia-based website with names like "More Costco Cuties," "Princess of the Launderette" and "Still More Costco Cuties," court files say.
The "Costco Cuties" albums were found to contain what appeared to be 112 secretly taken close-up photos of random young girls shopping with their families at Costco stores. In a chat section with the photos, "Animal instinct" said he took the photos himself, according to court documents.
The investigation later found that O'Neall was employed by Warehouse Demo Services as a food sample provider at a Costco store in Federal Way, and some of the photos posted by "Animal instinct" on the website showed the food sampler station.
Agents then found that O'Neall was required to register as a sex offender in Texas following a previous criminal conviction in 1991. Records also showed that O'Neall updated his sex offender status with his current Washington state address in March.
A search warrant was served at O'Neall's home and numerous child porn photos were found on his home computer, court documents say.
O'Neall was arrested Thursday by federal agents for investigation of possessing and distributing child pornography.
Both Costco and WDS say they're very concerned, they want to figure out what happened, and want to make sure it never happens again. O'Neall remains in federal detention on suicide watch.
