BELLINGHAM, Wash. — On May 1, 2025, Bellingham Police responded to a report of a 30-year-old male communicating online with a juvenile female and sending messages of a sexual nature.
According to an affidavit of probable cause file in Whatcom County Superior Court, the male was later identified as a 44-year-old man. According to witnesses and evidence recovered, the man had initiated the online conversation, and the girl provided false information about herself to him. He then began asking her age, she said 11, and whether it was easy for her to leave her house. His side of the conversations became obscene, he sent obscene videos and requested photos from her which she refused to provide.
The parents consented to letting law enforcement take over the girl’s online account. During subsequent conversations with an undercover officer, who the man continued to believe was the girl, he said he wanted to meet but wanted to be careful and not get in trouble.
On May 10, 2025, a meeting was set between the man and the girl he thought he was communicating with. Officers in place observed a vehicle registered to the man arrive. The man was driving the vehicle and was taken into custody.
Click for more information
Click for more information
Morgan William Benson of Sedro-Woolley was arrested and booked into the Whatcom County Jail. He is facing the following charges in court.
- 1st-degree attempted rape of a child
- sexual exploitation of a minor
- communication with a minor for immoral purposes
A preliminary hearing was held on May 12, 2025, where prosecutors requested bail be set at $500,000 and defense countered with a request of $100,000. The court set bail at $500,000.
As of May 14, 2025, Morgan remained in custody at the Whatcom County Jail.
Discover more from Whatcom News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.