Doctor sentenced for child porn

By Christian Hill | The Olympian • Published April 29, 2008

A federal judge sentenced a former Olympia gynecologist to 78 months in prison Tuesday for possessing what a prosecutor called a massive collection of child pornography.

Dr. George E. Kabacy, 68, accumulated what is believed to be the largest such collection discovered to date in the federal judicial district serving Western Washington, Assistant U.S. Attorney Vince Lombardi said.

His voice breaking, Kabacy apologized to his family and his profession for the humiliation he caused them and took responsibility for his actions in a short statement to U.S. District Court Judge Franklin Burgess.

Kabacy's wife, Laura, attended the sentencing.

Kabacy faced a maximum of 10 years in prison. In sentencing Kabacy to six-and-a-half years, Burgess considered his participation in a psychosexual assessment, his history of "good works" in his profession and community, and his medical condition.

Early Alzheimer's

Kabacy has been diagnosed with the early onset of Alzheimer's, a condition that might have contributed to his behavior, said Neil Fox, his defense attorney.

Fox had requested a five-year sentence because of his deteriorating health, adding Kabacy could be a "shell" of himself within five to seven years.

"At some point, there's really diminishing returns. ... The purpose of punishment will be lost on him," Fox said.

In arguing for the maximum, Lombardi countered that Kabacy's medical condition warranted it because he will be less able to control his impulses as his condition deteriorates.

Lombardi noted court records described the "sheer glee" Kabacy expressed in online chats with others while trading images and videos of child pornography. Lombardi added federal agents learned after Kabacy's guilty plea that he had taken pornographic pictures of a young child entrusted in his care.

Kabacy admitted to prosecutors he molested two underage boys in college.

He also acknowledged he had communicated with adults shortly before his arrest to travel to other states and engage in sexual activity with their minor children, court records say. Kabacy denied any of those efforts came to fruition.