Eugene, OR — In a crude reminder of the deep-rooted corruption in law enforcement and the judicial system, former Veterans Affairs police officer, Robert Wayne Roady, has been sentenced to a mere 14 years for his heinous and despicable crimes involving child exploitation. This shocking case, in which the alleged protector of citizens turned predator, embodies a blight on the face of justice and accountability.

Roady, a 50-year-old Roseburg resident, made the perverse decision to invade the sanctity of a home by hiding cameras in the bedrooms and showers to exploit innocent children, creating a trail of sexually explicit photos and videos. Confronted by Douglas County sheriff’s investigators after they received a tip-off in October 2020, Roady was finally cornered into admitting his guilt.

This is when his blue privilege began to emerge. The plea he entered was to a single count of attempted transportation of child pornography – a crime that begs the question, why was he allowed to plead to only one charge? The appalling reality is that our justice system appears to have handed Roady a sweetheart deal, considering the magnitude and the long-lasting impact of his atrocities.

Federal prosecutors rightly recommended a sentence of 17 years and six months. However, his defense attorney, Kurt David Hermansen, audaciously requested a sentence of just eight years and four months, citing Roady’s so-called ‘spotless record’ and lack of prior criminal history.

But just because he wasn’t caught until now, certainly does not mean he has no criminal history.

His defense underscores the wider problem that plagues law enforcement institutions: the illusion of integrity built on ‘spotless records.’ Roady’s record was anything but spotless, concealing a sinister and disturbing history of child exploitation. This case represents a poignant failure of the system to identify and address criminal behavior within its own ranks.

Furthermore, Hermansen’s attempts to appeal to sympathy by highlighting Roady’s 26-year Army veteran status, his service in the Middle East, and his physical ailments seem nothing more than a diversion from the severity of Roady’s actions. The ailments he endures, while unfortunate, should in no way be used as a shield to deflect the gravity of the monstrous crimes he committed.

Harmfully assigned by U.S. District Judge Michael J. McShane, Roady’s 14-year sentence falls woefully short of addressing the irrevocable harm caused to his victims and their families. The sentencing inadvertently casts a shroud of doubt on the effectiveness of initiatives such as Project Safe Childhood, launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2006 to tackle the rising tide of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

With justice not served adequately, it’s imperative to remember that each badge and uniform does not signify virtue, just as each ‘spotless’ record doesn’t denote innocence.