Former Virginia National Guard colonel sentenced to 10 years for child pornography charge

LYNCHBURG, Va. – A former colonel with the Virginia National Guard, who pleaded guilty in July to a federal child pornography charge, was sentenced Wednesday in Lynchburg federal court. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance provided by the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office and the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Gary Williamson, 54, of Lynchburg, previously waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty to a one-count Information charging him with knowingly receiving and distributing child pornography. Williamson was sentenced to 120 months of federal incarceration. The defendant was also ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution and will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.

“It is a sad day for all when we learn that a man like Mr. Williamson, who has had a distinguished military service career, has engaged in serious violations of federal criminal law by possessing and distributing child pornography,” U.S. Attorney Anthony P. Giorno said. “Crimes like those committed by Mr. Williamson have the effect of re-victimizing the children in these images, and those who engage in such conduct will be held accountable in a court of law.”

According to evidence presented at the defendant’s guilty plea hearing, HSI Roanoke became aware of Williamson’s distribution of child pornography Oct. 14, 2014, through information gathered during an unrelated investigation of a website located outside the United States. In December 2014, law enforcement interviewed Williamson at his home and executed a search warrant for various computers and media storage devices. During this search, Williamson admitted to having an email account and a username for the subject website that he used to trade suspected child pornography. Subsequent forensic analysis of the defendant’s computer and other media storage devices showed he possessed more than 2,000 images of child pornography, many of which he distributed via the subject website bulletin boards and email.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 12,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2014, more than 2,300 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page. HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.