July 30, 2010

A 55-year-old man who has spent time living in both Greene County and Covington, Va., pled guilty Friday to charges related to his distribution and possession of images containing child pornography.

Gary Lee Rimmer was indicted in June 2010 and charged with one count of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. Friday in District Court, the
defendant pleaded guilty to both counts.

Rimmer admitted Friday that while living in Greene County in 2006, he started an online relationship with a 13-year-old girl from Florida. Throughout their internet conversations and cellular phone conversations, Rimmer portrayed himself as a 20-year-old man named “Jason.” The defendant posted images of a young man and claimed they were of himself.

“Through repeated acts of deception, Mr. Rimmer victimized a young girl while sitting at a computer thousands of miles away,” United States Attorney Timothy J. Heaphy said. “He preyed upon her youth and her vulnerability for his perverse sexual gratification. For his deceitful conduct he will be justly punished.”

The defendant and victim, whom Rimmer ultimately learned was under 16 years of age, had conversations about getting involved in a relationship, including a sexual relationship. At one point, Rimmer mailed the victim a vibrator, lubricant, a doll and other items. He also sent her online images of a penis that was not his own.

In addition, when investigators searched the contents of Rimmer’s computer, they found images of child pornography, including images of the victim from Florida with the items he previously mailed to her. Search terms associated with child pornography were also found on the defendant’s computer. A forensic examination of Rimmer’s computer also revealed that on July 9, 2007 he distributed child pornography to a person outside of Virginia during a chat session using Yahoo Messenger.

At his November 1 sentencing hearing, Rimmer faces a penalty of between five years and 20 years on the distribution count and between zero and 10 years on the possession count.
Each count carries a maximum fine of up to $250,000.