Seattle City Wire

Seattle – A 27-year-old registered sex offender on supervision with electronic monitoring was brought into federal custody today for allegedly traveling to Oregon to sexually assault a teen, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa Gorman. The criminal complaint charging James Harrison Newcomer alleges that between February and April 2024, Newcomer assaulted three different teens he met via Snapchat. Newcomer will appear today at 2:00 in U.S. District Court in Seattle.

According to records filed in the case, Newcomer was on state supervision following his 30-month prison sentence for two counts of rape of a child. As part of the supervision, Newcomer was on electronic monitoring with an ankle bracelet. On January 19, 2024, the ankle monitor lost connection and when corrections officers went to arrest Newcomer on January 25, 2024, he had left the residence and could not be located.

Over the next three months, Newcomer connected with various teen girls via social media and then arranged to meet them in person. In those meetings, he allegedly gave girls drugs and alcohol and sexually assaulted them. The victims were from Snoqualmie, Auburn, and most recently Woodburn, Oregon. The victims ranged in age from 14 to 16.

Travel with intent to engage in sexual acts with a minor is punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Woodburn Police Department, the Marion County District Attorney’s Office, the Auburn Police Department, the Snoqualmie Police Department, and the Kent Police Department, with assistance from the Department of Corrections. Anyone with information regarding other potential victims is asked to contact the Seattle FBI Field Office at 206-622-0460.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson.