Molester Gets 26 Years Gregory L. Mccrea Is Also Sentenced On Federal Firearms, Child Porn Charges

A Spokane man who collected an arsenal of illegal weapons and was involved in “unspeakable sexual abuse of children” will serve 26 years in prison.

Gregory L. McCrea received concurrent federal and state prison terms at sentencing hearings Friday in U.S. District Court and Spokane County Superior Court.

McCrea, 55, admitted to investigators that he had sexual contact with 1,000 children during his lifetime.

He also amassed the largest arsenal of pipe bombs, machine guns, deadly chemicals and ammunition ever seized in the Inland Northwest, authorities say.

“I hope Greg dies in prison because he molested me,” a 9-year-old Spokane girl said on a tape recording played for U.S. District Judge Robert Whaley.

“He is a very, very bad person,” said the girl, who was molested by McCrea between the ages of 3 and 5.

McCrea sat with his head bowed as the tape was played by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Lister.

“He raped at least 25 children and had sexual contacts with hundreds of children,” the prosecutor told the court.

When he stood for sentencing in federal court, McCrea turned and addressed courtroom spectators, including families of two of his victims.

“I wish to apologize to you and the community,” the bearded, gray-haired McCrea said. “I’m sorry for the grief I’ve caused … the pain they’re going to suffer for years.”

He pleaded guilty in July in U.S. District Court to 10 firearms counts and 11 child pornography charges.

In June, he pleaded guilty in Spokane County Superior Court to a dozen state charges, including 11 counts of child rape.

The plea bargains will allow him to serve his concurrent sentences in a federal penitentiary instead of state prison.

Authorities said he apparently believes he would be in more jeopardy in the state penitentiary.

U.S. District Judge Whaley sentenced McCrea to 25 years in prison and ordered him to pay $10,000 restitution.

The sentencing is an upward departure of federal sentencing guidelines, which say McCrea should spend 11 to 14 years in prison.

“The guidelines don’t reflect the seriousness of what happened here,” Whaley told McCrea. “If I could, I’d sentence you to more than 25 years.”

The judge said McCrea was involved in “unspeakable abuse of children.”

In the afternoon, McCrea appeared before Superior Court Judge Robert Austin, who sentenced him to 26-1/2 years in prison for the state charges.

More than a half-dozen people spoke during the sentencing hearing.

A 10-year-old girl who is friends with one of the victims told McCrea, “I want you to forgive yourself. Then, you can get forgiveness from others, too.”

Deputy Prosecutor Ed Hay recommended a 26-year sentence.

That is equivalent to a life sentence, since McCrea’s life expectancy in prison is 21.7 years, according to Hay.

In state court, McCrea also apologized for what he’d done.

Two family members of victims yelled insults at McCrea, interrupting his remarks. “If you had a heart, you wouldn’t have raped my son and daughter,” one woman yelled.

Austin told McCrea: “What you’ve done is terrible, evil. Our job is to make sure it never happens again.”

McCrea, who children called “Papa Smurf,” often volunteered to baby-sit for neighbors and friends.

He was arrested in May 1998 after the parents of a 6-year-old girl contacted Spokane police. They told investigators that McCrea molested their daughter after taking her to McDonald’s.

His arrest led investigators to searches of his home at 1401 E. Bridgeport and two railroad boxcars at 512 N. Perry that he had converted to storage facilities.

He also had a rented storage facility at Shurguard Storage, 12420 E. Sprague.

In his home, investigators found hundreds of videos and computer files showing adults, including McCrea, involved in sex acts with children.

They also found a fully-equipped machine shop where he made gun parts and rebuilt destroyed firearms he bought as scrap metal.

In addition, investigators discovered 28 pounds of explosive powder, a case of grenades, shrapnel dipped in poison and 70 pipe bombs, some of them ready for detonation.

At the Valley storage facility, where 500 other people also rent space, federal agents and a bomb squad removed three armed, improvised rocket-propelled grenades. They were perched atop boxes.

“One bump and that whole place would have gone up,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Skibbie.

ATF agents also seized 16 machines guns, 11 silencers, six sawed-off shotguns and more than 50,000 rounds of ammunition.

Staff writer Tom Sowa contributed to this report.