He traded meth for sex with teen boys. Richland man then shared the videos

A Richland man who gave methamphetamine to teenage boys in exchange for sex admitted Thursday that he recorded it and shared the videos with other men.

Zayne K. Barbre, 28, entered guilty pleas to five felony charges in U.S. District Court involving four victims between the ages of 14 and 17.

The allegations go back to late 2014.

Barbre told the judge he intentionally turned on the camera on a cellphone or laptop to capture the sex acts, then distributed the videos and images knowing they would be qualified as child pornography because of the boys’ ages.

He faces a recommended 28-year sentence in federal prison.

The plea agreement also includes five felony charges in Benton County Superior Court, including allegations he prostituted at least one teen out to other men.

Court documents in that case state that Barbre gave meth to the teen before he met with the strangers, and again after. He also drove the boy to the meet-ups, and waited outside to collect payment from the teen, documents said.

Barbre is locked up in the Benton County jail on a U.S. Marshals hold.

Asked Thursday by Judge Sal Mendoza Jr. what it is he did that makes him guilty, Barbre said, “I violated individuals by providing them a controlled substance, taking advantage of them and making video depictions of our actions.”

Two victims were in U.S. District Court for the 40-minute hearing.

Barbre pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography and four counts of production of child pornography.

Two additional charges for attempted enticement of a minor and possession of child pornography will be dismissed at sentencing in February.

The plea agreement names two other men, Ryan W. Alexander and Beau T. Upton, who also have state and federal cases involving sex crimes.

The child exploitation case came to light in January 2017 when one of the teen boys shared his story with his counselor, who is legally required to report any suspicion of child abuse or neglect.

The teen told a Kennewick detective that Barbre would pick him up from various locations in the Tri-Cities and either take him to a Richland condo or Barbre’s home that he shared with elderly relatives.

The detective got copies of both Barbre and the teen’s Facebook accounts showing conversations about their sexual encounters, and Barbre’s ability to obtain and sell controlled substances, court documents show.

Two months later, Richland police started their own investigation into Barbre after learning he “may be engaged in prostituting minor males for drugs and money.”

That victim reported that Ryan Alexander told him Barbre was harboring a teen runaway at his home. Police got a search warrant for the house and found Barbre and the teen runaway.

Barbre denied “pimping out” one of the teens, but admitted having sex and providing meth on many occasions.

He claimed he met the teen runaway through Beau Upton in December 2016, documents said.

Investigators seized a number of electronic devices from Barbre’s home, including at least three cellphones, three computers and three external hard drives. The electronics all held pictures and videos of Barbre with the teens.

Most of the connections were made through a dating app and a messaging mobile app.

Alexander pleaded guilty in federal court last April to one count each of attempted production, production and distribution of child pornography. He faces between 20 and 25 years in prison at sentencing in June.

His plea offer includes two counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse in Washington County Circuit Court in Oregon.

And while his three counts of first-degree possessing child pornography in Benton County Superior Court were dismissed a year ago, he still has an active case for possessing meth.

Upton was indicted one year ago for production of child pornography. That case appears to be on hold, according to online court records.

He is scheduled for trial in Benton County Superior Court on two counts of third-degree rape of a child.

When Barbre returns to Superior Court, he is expected to plead guilty to promoting commercial sexual abuse of a minor and two counts each of third-degree child rape and distribution of meth to a person under age 18 with sexual motivation.

One of the teens in that case said he met Barbre through a boyfriend. A month later, Barbre started prostituting him out and gave him a burner phone, court documents show.

The teen said the strangers would give him between $100 and $200 each time, but he would lie and only give $50 to Barbre and pocket the rest, documents said.

Prosecutors will recommend 23 years on the state case, which will be served at the same time as his federal sentence.