KINGSTON — Kingston resident Ricky Arthur Roberts’ recent arrest for possessing child pornography wasn’t his first run-in with federal authorities.
Roberts, who was arrested on the charge at Suquamish Clearwater Casino on Feb. 26, has been under investigation since a search of his home last April.
FBI agents and Kitsap County Sheriff’s deputies seized four computers and disks containing child pornography from his home in early April 2002, according to court documents.
Kitsap County deputies arrested Roberts after following him to the casino.
Deputy Scott Wilson of Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office said the county was assisting the FBI in the arrest.
Roberts, a parent volunteer with Cub Scout Pack 555, was taking his son and other scouts to the casino’s construction site for a pack outing.
Prior to the Feb. 26 arrest, deputies gathered at George’s Corner and were preparing to arrest Roberts at his home, when they saw his 1970 model Mercury Comet drive by.
Deputies followed him to the casino and took him into custody there.
Wilson said the deputies were not aware that Roberts had his son in the car or was involved in a Cub Scout outing until they made the arrest.
Before he was taken from the scene, Roberts asked deputies if he could remove his heavy leather motorcycle jacket so his wife could pick it up later, Wilson said. When he took off his jacket, Roberts had a Cub Scout uniform shirt on underneath.
Mark Hunter of the Chief Seattle Council of the Boy Scouts of America said Roberts is not a registered scout leader with the organization.
After being taken into custody, Roberts was indicted on Feb. 26 on one charge of knowingly and unlawfully possessing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct and mailing, shipping and transporting images in interstate and foreign commerce, according to district court documents.
Roberts plead not guilty to the indictment last week.
His trial is scheduled to start April 21.
If convicted, Roberts will face a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
