Honk News (Fort Bliss, TX) – A former soldier from Fort Bliss, who had an unhealthy fixation on a 14-year-old girl, has received a sentence exceeding eight years in federal prison for the sexual abuse of a minor, according to officials.
Carlos Humberto Richard Walsh, 23, from Everett, Washington, received a sentence of eight years and four months in prison after being convicted of one count of sexual abuse of a minor, according to officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.
Following his prison term, he will face five years of supervised release, according to federal court records.
On Wednesday, January 22, Senior U.S. District Judge David C. Guaderrama delivered the sentence at the Albert Armendariz Sr. Federal Courthouse located in Downtown El Paso. A hearing regarding restitution in the case is scheduled for March 27.
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On August 13, Walsh admitted guilt to the charge in accordance with a plea deal with federal prosecutors, according to court documents.
Since May 25, 2023, he has been in custody following a federal magistrate judge’s determination that he poses a threat to both the victim and the community.
During a detention hearing on June 1, 2023, federal prosecutor Sarah Valenzuela revealed that Walsh engaged in sexual acts with the 14-year-old girl multiple times at a barracks in Fort Bliss.
The agent testified that he persistently tried to contact the girl via text and social media messages. According to Valenzuela, Walsh breached a military protective order that prohibited him from reaching out to the girl.
Officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office reported that the incident involving the girl occurred between October 1, 2022, and around January 24, 2023.