Steven Powell, relative of missing woman, arrested on child porn charge

Steven Powell, a convicted sex offender and father-in-law of missing Utah woman Susan Cox Powell, has been arrested on a child pornography charge, Washington prosecutors say.

Powell, 64, was arrested Monday morning at his home in Tacoma, Wash., on a single felony charge of possession of depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

The charge was refiled by prosecutors from a 2012 case, in which Powell was convicted of 14 counts of voyeurism for taking photos of two young neighbor girls. He was released in March after serving a 30-month sentence, the Seattle Times reports.

The judge in that case threw out the child pornography charge, saying the images did not constitute “sexually explicit conduct,” prosecutors say.

The decision was overturned by the Washington state Court of Appeals in June, and finalized earlier this month.

“We were always confident the child pornography charges were proper, and we are pleased the higher court agreed,” said prosecutor Mark Lindquist. “Mr. Powell should be held fully accountable for grossly violating the privacy of his young neighbors.”

Steven Powell is the patriarch of the Powell family, which has been embroiled in scandal and tragedy since the disappearance of his daughter-in-law, Susan Cox Powell, in December 2009.

The images in question were found in Steven Powell’s bedroom, along with photographs of Susan Powell in various stages of undress, during the investigation into her disappearance.

Police have said Steven Powell was sexually obsessed with Susan Cox Powell long before her disappearance, and had written about his “lust” for her in a diary confiscated by detectives. Police say the obsession prompted Susan Cox Powell to move with her husband, Josh, and their two young sons from Washington state to Utah.

Josh Powell, Steven Powell’s son, was a person of interest in his wife’s disappearance from their home in West Valley, Utah, but was never charged. He later returned to Washington with his sons, and moved in with his father.

But he lost custody of his sons after his father was arrested on the voyeurism charges.

On Feb. 5, 2012, a social worker took the boys to a home in Graham, Wash., for a supervised visit with their father. But Josh Powell slammed the door before the social worker could enter, attacked 5-year-old Braden and 7-year-old Charlie with a hatchet, and blew up the house, police said, killing all three.

Almost exactly one year later, Josh Powell’s brother, Michael Powell, committed suicide by throwing himself off a seven-story parking structure in Minneapolis. Susan Cox Powell’s parents believed that he had helped his brother dispose of their daughter’s body.

If convicted of the child pornography charge, Steven Powell faces up to five years in prison, said Heather Songer, a spokeswoman for the Pierce County prosecuting attorney.

He is expected to appear for an arraignment Tuesday afternoon.

For more breaking news, follow me @cmaiduc on Twitter.