A sprawling child molestation and exploitation investigation by the Vancouver Police Department continues to widen, resulting in the arrest of a third suspect.
This latest development follows the recent arrest of a Vancouver man and the suicide of a prominent local pediatrician connected to the case.
According to a recent update from the Vancouver Police Department, detectives from the Digital Evidence Cybercrime Unit served a search warrant at a Vancouver residence on May 7. Authorities arrested 61-year-old William J. Sneiderwine.
Sneiderwine was booked into the Clark County Jail and is facing serious charges, including Conspiracy to Commit Child Molestation I and Tampering with Physical Evidence.
Detectives from DECU and the Children’s Justice Center have been working alongside VPD Digital Forensic Investigators to meticulously examine digital evidence related to the case.
Authorities state that this intensive forensic work made the latest arrest possible.
The investigation, which involves the Vancouver Police Department and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, originally began in February 2026 after authorities received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding child sex abuse material.
The case gained significant public attention late last month when investigators arrested Chad Hartley during a pedestrian stop on April 29.
Hartley remains incarcerated in the Clark County Jail on multiple charges, including four counts of dealing in child pornography II, four counts of possession of child pornography, and one count of child molestation I.
The investigation quickly led detectives to Dr. Michael R. Wilmington, a local pediatrician affiliated with multiple medical facilities across the Portland and Vancouver area.
According to police, Wilmington allegedly hosted “naked sleepovers” with young children at his residence in La Center.
Just a day after authorities issued a felony warrant for his arrest for child molestation I, Wilmington was found deceased in Lewis County on May 2 from an apparent suicide.
The Vancouver Police Department states that the investigation is active and ongoing, and no further information is releasable at this time to protect the integrity of the case.
Law enforcement continues to urge anyone who is aware of a child who may have had unsupervised contact with Chad Hartley, Michael Wilmington, or William Sneiderwine to immediately contact their local law enforcement agency.
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