Source: United States Department of Justice News
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Nevada man was sentenced to federal prison today for repeatedly sexually abusing a young child across multiple states for years.
Albert Wayne Welling, 60, was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison followed by a lifetime term of supervised release.
According to court documents, over a period of several years, Welling, who was employed as an interstate truck driver, repeatedly sexually abused and assaulted a child beginning when the child was in kindergarten. The child would accompany Welling on interstate trips and stayed in hotels with him in Oregon, Nevada, and other states. During these trips, Welling abused the child daily or every other day at hotels, in his truck or in other locations in multiple states. During the period of abuse, Welling acted as if he was in an adult sexual and romantic relationship with the child, giving the child gifts and allowing the child to use a debit card he funded. In exchange for these gifts, Welling would tell the child “you owe me.” The child bravely disclosed Welling’s abuse in September 2020.
On October 15, 2020, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned an indictment charging Welling with aggravated sexual abuse of a child. Later, on July 21, 2022, charges of traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, coercing and enticing a minor, and transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity were added by superseding indictment.
On July 26, 2022, after a stipulated facts bench trial before U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane, Welling was found guilty on all counts on which he was tried: coercing and enticing a minor, traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, and transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
This case was investigated by the FBI Eugene Resident Agency with assistance from the Cottage Grove Police Department. It was prosecuted by Jeffrey S. Sweet and William M. McLaren, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon, in coordination with the Lane County District Attorney’s Office.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 911.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
The FBI CETF conducts sexual exploitation investigations, many of them undercover, in coordination with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. CETF is committed to locating and arresting those who prey on children as well as recovering and assisting victims of sex trafficking and child exploitation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.