Today Weldon Marc Gilbert, 52, of Lake Tapps, pled guilty to 14 counts of child molestation and was sentenced to almost ten years in prison, to be served consecutively to the 25-year sentence he received in federal court in 2009 for possession of child pornography.

“Our goal in this case has always been to hold Mr. Gilbert accountable for the sexual assaults he committed in Pierce County,” said Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. “Today we did. The victims are pleased with this result. The defendant should be serving 35 years in total, and he’s been held accountable for both his federal crimes and his state crimes.”

The defendant was a wealthy commercial pilot who was arrested in 2007 after an investigation revealed he had sexually assaulted and tortured dozens of boys in a “sex dungeon” in his Lake Tapps home. The defendant lured the boys with money, alcohol, homework help and flying lessons. He then made videos of himself sexually assaulting the victims.

The three-year court case gained repeated media attention, including when the court ruled that the defendant, acting as his own attorney, had the right to review all evidence against him, including the child pornography he produced. After Mr. Gilbert was allowed to do this, Prosecutor Lindquist and others successfully lobbied the legislature to change the law with HB 2217.

Pierce County Superior Court Judge Katherine Stolz refuted the defendant’s apology during the sentencing hearing and criticized his attempts to minimize his crimes.

“The bottom line is you are a pedophile, an extreme deviant,” said Judge Stolz.

-from a press release