Olympia man pleads guilty to child molestation charges

OLYMPIA — A 36-year-old Olympia man has pleaded guilty to five counts of child molestation and a child assault charge.

The Olympian reported that Brandon Hughes-Ranahan entered his pleas on Monday in Thurston County Superior Court.

Prosecutors are recommending a 10-year sentence with lifetime probation. Sentencing is set for Aug. 3.

However, Deputy Prosecutor Craig Juris says Hughes-Ranahan is being held in federal custody and awaits sentencing at the federal level, where the recommended sentence is 15 years.

He was arrested in 2014 after sexually explicit photos of young girls were found on his barracks computer while his Army National Guard unit was training in Yakima.

He has since been discharged from the National Guard.

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