After a comprehensive two-year investigation that began in 2018, a jury has rendered a verdict, finding Ferencz "Frank" Gabor Verebi, a 55-year-old resident of East Wenatchee, guilty on six counts of child pornography possession.
The investigation was initiated by Douglas County officers, who were prompted by the FBI's earlier scrutiny of Verebi in 2017. The arrest of Verebi took place on January 17, 2019, during a thorough search of his premises that yielded compelling evidence, leading officers to seize two computers and a short-barreled shotgun as part of the investigation.
Initially, Verebi faced eight charges, which included possession of depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct in the first degree, alongside the possession of an unlawful firearm. On March 18, 2019, the charges were temporarily dismissed without prejudice. That decision allowed officers sufficient time to conduct a comprehensive forensic examination of the two seized computers. As the case reaches its conclusion, Verebi is now set to face a sentencing hearing scheduled for August 14.