A youth baseball association voted to terminate membership of David S. Engle, a former Kent attorney, after child pornography charges were filed against Engle.
Engle, 49, of Maple Valley, faces a federal criminal complaint charging him with receipt and possession of child pornography, according to a U.S. Attorney’s Office media release. He made his initial appearance Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Seattle.
The Mount Rainier Baseball Association (MRBA) had an emergency board meeting on Thursday to discuss the allegations against Engle, a fellow board member, and decided to relieve him of his duties with the Enumclaw-based group that runs teams for players who live in the Auburn, Tahoma, Enumclaw, White River, Carbonado and Dieringer school districts.
“By unanimous vote, the MRBA board members chose to terminate Mr. Engle’s membership with MRBA, based on item C6.2 of the league Constitution,” according to an email from the board. “Effective immediately, Mr. Engle is being relieved of all duties associated with MRBA including, but not limited to: Babe Ruth player agent, head webmaster for MRBA Babe Ruth website and coaching of MRBA players.
“The board members of the MRBA had no previous knowledge of Mr. Engle’s alleged illegal activities,” according to the email. “MRBA runs background checks on all board members, managers and assistant coaches every year. Mr. Engle passed the most recent background check ran in March of 2012 through the Washington State Patrol “Watch” website.
“MRBA has dedicated itself to being a sports league that builds better citizens. We are committed to the youth that we serve and will continue to provide a safe environment for them to play.”
Engle is a family law attorney who previously practiced in Kent before moving his office to Maple Valley.
Engle came to the attention of law enforcement following the investigation of an international movie production company that operated a website offering DVDs and streaming videos for sale. The materials depicted young boys in sexually explicit activity.
Between 2005 and 2011, investigators allege Engle purchased 78 different items from the website, spending nearly $3,000. Agents with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service executed a search warrant at Engle’s home Tuesday.
The international movie production company was put out of business in May 2011, when agents seized its inventory and records. The company and the owners of the company are being prosecuted for child exploitation offenses, including the production and distribution of child pornography.
Engle remains detained pending a hearing on Friday, Nov. 9.
According to information available on the Internet, Engle is heavily involved in youth baseball. He appears to be (or was) the District 4 commissioner for the Southern Washington Babe Ruth Leagues, the coach for the Mid-Sound Pilots Select Bronco baseball team for 11- and 12-year-olds, the president for Maple Valley Pony Baseball and Fast Pitch, which serves kids who live in Maple Valley, Ravensdale, Hobart, Black Diamond, Covington, Kent and Auburn. Engle also appears to be associated with a business named “5 Star Baseball and Softball.”
Engle is a divorce attorney who has practiced law since 1992 in Washington and whose law license remains active, according to the website www.avvo.com. The site lists a P.O. Box number in Maple Valley as an office for Engle.
If found guilty of receipt of child pornography, Engle faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and up to 20 years and a $250,000 fine.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marci Ellsworth.
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