Richland man's child porn arrest led to rescue of 2 children over 1,800 miles away

Yahoo

25-05-2025

A Richland child pornography arrest led to the rescue of two children 1,800 miles away, police said
Richland detectives connected Ryan 'Raine' D. Later's Twitter conversations about child pornography on Twitter with the alleged sexual abuse of two children in Oklahoma, according to a police Facebook post.
While the agency didn't explain how that happened, they did say Later's arrest in 2024 led to two children being rescued and a suspected abuser being arrested.
Later, 26, recently pleaded guilty to second-degree dealing in child pornography and three counts of possession of child pornography.
Judge Jackie Shea Brown recently sentenced Later to seven years in prison and three years of community custody — the maximum allowed under state law.
Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force detectives started investigating a series of messages beginning in 2023 containing child pornography from Twitter users with the handles 'StormyFallsFall' and 'stormfallsdown.'
Both accounts were eventually tied to Later's Charter Communications account.
According to messages, Later said he had 'worse stuff' that he couldn't share through Twitter. He told the other user that it was 'natural to enjoy' the pornography.
He also told another user that he went to a local pool and watched children while pretending to be on his phone. He also shared fantasies about 'grooming' and raping children, court documents said.
He later claimed those conversations were taken out of context and were just 'role-play,' court documents said.
When police arrested him on Aug. 8, 2024, officers discovered 'numerous' pieces of child pornography on his phone.
Deputy Prosecutor Taylor Anderson congratulated the task force detective for his work, Richland police said.
The investigation took more time and effort than normal for a case involving a tip from an online company, Anderson said according to the Facebook post.
'Additionally, your continued efforts to identify and assist bringing the Oklahoma offender to justice demonstrates your commitment to the mission and goal of the ICAC task force,' she said in a post on the police Facebook page.
'Your work on both fronts reflects the dedication and determination that allows (the) ICAC task force to protect children and hold offenders accountable.'