EVERETT — A former Arlington horse ranch owner pleaded guilty on Thursday to three counts of felony sex crimes, one representing each victim who came forward in 2023, accusing the 38-year-old of abuse spanning over a decade.
Robert Blessing, who owned the RWB Horse Ranch, would allegedly buy victims gifts, like horses, and treat them poorly if they rejected his sexual advances. His sentencing is currently set for 1 p.m. Dec. 2 before Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Patrick Moriarty.
On Oct. 25, 2023, a girl disclosed to her school counselor that Blessing had been sexually abusing her, and she felt there was no way out because she boarded her horse at his barn. In a police interview, she alleged the abuse had begun when she was 14 and escalated to explicit messages and rape over several years, court documents said.
She alleged that Blessing had exploited other girls while they were underage.
On Nov. 21, 2023, detectives contacted a second victim who reported living with Blessing and his wife for five years. In a police interview, she said the abuse began after Blessing bought her a horse as a birthday gift. When she told Blessing the touching wasn’t welcome, he allegedly turned cold and manipulated her into complying.
On Dec. 4, 2023, a third victim told detectives the alleged abuse started when she was 13 years old and began working for the barn. Blessing was aware of the victim’s financial troubles and would allegedly pay her for sexual photos and videos over the course of three or four years with regular $400 to $600 payments each month.
Over the course of the investigation, multiple individuals reported Blessing made sexual comments, touched them and sent inappropriate messages when they were under 18. In court documents, prosecutors wrote they could not file charges due to the statute of limitations.
On Dec. 20, 2023, deputies arrested Blessing outside of his Arlington home for investigation of 12 sex crimes.
State business records show RWB Horse Ranch was dissolved in July 2023.
Community members dressed in pink filled the courtroom as Blessing pleaded guilty to an amended charge of two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of promoting commercial sex abuse of a minor.
Prosecutors initially charged Blessing on Jan. 23, 2024, in Snohomish County Superior Court with 10 felony sex crime counts, including sexual exploitation of a minor, third-degree rape of a child, third-degree child molestation, communication with a minor for immoral purposes, possession of child pornography and promoting commercial sexual abuse of a minor.
The maximum sentence for his counts is 10 years with a fine of up to $20,000 for two of the felony charges and life imprisonment with a fine of up to $50,000 for the more serious felony charge.
Jenna Millikan: 425-339-3035; jenna.millikan@heraldnet.com; X: @JennaMillikan
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