Zachary Robertson poses in a photo from his public Facebook page. Robertson, 42, faces two felony child pornography charges in Whatcom County Superior Court. His trial is scheduled for July 20, 2026. (Robertson Facebook)
BELLINGHAM, Wash. — A Whatcom County judge has scheduled a July jury trial in the Zachary Robertson CSAM case, as a woman who publicly defended him following his March arrest now says she regrets every word.
The felony child sex abuse material case against Bellingham author and activist Zachary Elisha Robertson, 42, is scheduled for July 20 in Whatcom County Superior Court, according to court records reviewed by PNW Daily, which provide the most complete public procedural timeline of the case to date.
Case Headed to July Trial
Robertson’s original April 27 jury trial date was cancelled by continuance. The case is now scheduled before Judge Lee P. Grochmal, who took over the matter in late March following a disqualification filing.
A status conference is set for June 24, 2026, ahead of the July 20 trial date.
Robertson remains out of custody. He posted $2,500 cash bail on March 13 and has remained on pretrial release since, with conditions that have been amended multiple times by the court.
The Complete Court Timeline
Court records for Whatcom County Superior Court case No. 26-1-00265-37 reveal the following chronology of proceedings.
- March 11 — Prosecutors filed charges and a probable cause affidavit. Judge Kacie B. Emerick presided over Robertson’s preliminary appearance, determined probable cause, and conducted his arraignment the same day. Robertson acknowledged his rights and entered a not guilty plea. Judge Emerick ordered pretrial release on $2,500 cash bail.
- March 13 — Robertson posted bail. Both the state and defense subsequently filed discovery demands the same day.
- March 19 — A notice of disqualification was filed, with the case thereafter referred to Judge Lee P. Grochmal.
- March 24 — Defense filed a motion to modify Robertson’s release conditions specifically related to minor contact.
- March 26 — Judge Grochmal entered an order formalizing his assignment to the case.
- March 31 — Judge Jennifer Slattery presided over a motion hearing and subsequently entered amended conditions of release.
- April 1 — A status conference before Judge Slattery resulted in an order of continuance. Additionally, Judge Jonathan Richardson entered an agreed protective order governing discovery materials.
- April 27 — The originally scheduled jury trial before Judge David Freeman was cancelled by continuance.
- April 30 — Judge Freeman entered an agreed travel order on Robertson’s behalf.
- June 24 — Status conference scheduled before Judge Grochmal.
- July 20 — Jury trial scheduled before Judge Grochmal, 8:30 a.m.
Former Supporter Reverses Course
Meanwhile as the case moves toward trial, a woman who publicly defended Robertson in the weeks following his March arrest has now reversed course, telling PNW Daily she regrets her earlier statements.
JoAna McNerthney, a now former acquaintance of Robertson through overlapping community activism and the Cascadia Community Land Trust, has now publicly withdrawn those statements.
“In retrospect, due to additional information being revealed to me, I regret having responded to PNW Daily’s request for comment regarding Zachary Robertson’s arrest for having child pornography,” McNerthney said. “I thought I knew Zac better than I did. My statements in unwavering support of Zac were erroneous. I regret that my words may have caused distress to some.”
McNerthney’s reversal came after initially saying last March that she was unaware of concerning behavior involving Robertson and believed he would ultimately be proven not guilty.
“These charges against Zac, if found to be legitimate, are serious violations of the trust we had with him,” McNerthney said this week. “At this time, it is in the hands of the law enforcement, lawyers and courts and my hope is that an appropriate outcome will prevail.”
I thought I knew Zac better than I did.
JoAna McNerthney
Background: The Charges
Prosecutors charged Robertson in March with two felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse material. The case began after Robertson’s wife contacted Bellingham Police and reported finding explicit material on his laptop.
According to the probable cause affidavit, investigators alleged Robertson’s wife observed thumbnail images on the laptop depicting multiple fully nude young girls. A subsequent forensic review identified approximately 25 images depicting nude pre-pubescent and pubescent children, several of which appeared in a thumbnail cache indicating recent viewing activity.
Robertson told investigators the images were reference material connected to his self-published children’s book “Norma Normal,” which features a child living naked in nature. Detectives rejected that explanation and concluded in the affidavit the material had been viewed for sexual gratification.
Robertson has been involved in several Bellingham area organizations, including the Bellingham Naked Bike Ride and the Cascadia Community Land Trust.
The case remains pending in Whatcom County Superior Court.
Frequently Asked Questions
About the Author
