Seattle minister and homeless activist hit with child porn charges

A prominent Seattle minister and homeless activist has been arrested on child sex crime charges, including possession of child pornography, with some victims being as young as five years old. David Bloom, 82, of north Seattle, was taken into custody on Sept. 20. Court documents state that Seattle police detectives found Bloom in possession of multiple images of children engaging in sexual acts alone and with men and women.

Bloom was booked into King County Jail on one count of second-degree dealing and one count of second-degree possession of explicit images of children, CBS 12 reported. He was released on $5,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 19, according to KING-5.

Seattle police launched an investigation back in March after the agency was alerted by Microsoft that a user had uploaded three images depicting minors engaged in sexual activity. Detectives obtained a search warrant to access the internet records, which were traced back to Bloom.

Police interviewed Bloom during which the defendant allegedly admitted to viewing child pornography for the past three to four years, stating he assumed the interview "was an intervention." Detectives searched his laptop and located over 20 images of children in various sexual situations with adult men and women. A search of Bloom's internet history revealed that he had typed in terms such as "Young Girl Sharing Affection with Father," as per court documents.

Bloom is a prominent social justice activist in Seattle who concentrates on issues such as homelessness. He established numerous nonprofit organizations that support social change, construct housing, and provide shelter. According to his LinkedIn, the organizations Bloom founded include the Seattle Displacement Coalition, the Downtown Emergency Service Center, and Common Ground, a nonprofit that has been criticized for being a part of the "Homeless Industrial Complex."

He describes himself on LinkedIn as an "American Baptist minister with forty years of ecumenical leadership experience in Seattle on social justice issues." Bloom is a retired adjunct faculty member at Seattle's Antioch University. KIRO reported that Bloom ran for Seattle City Council in 2009 but lost his bid by nearly 40 points.

The defendant previously served as board president for the local left-wing social justice nonprofit newspaper, Real Change News. He held the position from 2011 to 2013.

Krystal Marx, the executive director of Real Change News, said in a statement that Bloom was connected to the organization's activism through his involvement with the Interfaith Task Force on Homelessness. She said the organization remains "committed to our values and mission, and wish justice and healing for the alleged victims impacted by Mr. Bloom - as well as survivors of sexual abuse everywhere."