Moses Lake man convicted of multiple child sex abuse charges

MOSES LAKE — Billy Gene Pinson, 46, of Moses Lake has been sentenced to 35 years in prison after being convicted of multiple crimes associated with sexually abusing minors, according to a press release from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which worked with the Moses Lake Police Department on the case.  

Pinson had a history of sexually abusing children. 

“Billy Gene Pinson, a U.S. citizen of Moses Lake, WA, who was convicted on two counts of child rape in 1994 and one count of communicating with a child for immoral purposes in 2013, will serve a 35-year prison sentence for producing child sex abuse material,” the press release said.  

Pinson was convicted in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington under Case No. 2:22‑cr‑00120. Charges were brought at the federal level due to the nature of the crimes. Charges included three counts of Production of Child Pornography; two counts of Possession of Child Pornography; and one count of Commission of a Felony Sex Offense Involving a Minor while Required to Register as a Sex Offender.  

Pinson was arrested in April 2019 after an MLPD detective found probable cause to ask for an arrest warrant, according to Grant County Court records. The victims included two minors aged 6 and 13 at the time of Pinson’s arrest.  

Evidence of the pornography and abuse charges was extensive, according to the probable cause statement and included medical information and forensic interviews.  

Anyone who suspects a child is being harmed should contact the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services at 866-363-4276. Assistance is also available through Kids Hope and New Hope, which serve both Grant and Adams counties. Those agencies may be contacted at 509-764-8402, and their office is located at 311 W. 3rd Avenue in Moses Lake.