West Virginia man pleads guilty to possession of child pornography

BECKLEY, W. Va. – A West Virginia man pleaded guilty Oct. 25 to possession of child pornography, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Alan L. Grimmett, 50, of Hinton, W.Va., admitted he knowingly possessed on his computer more than 600 images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

According to court documents, HSI special agents found images of actual or simulated sexual intercourse and the lascivious exhibition of the genitals and pubic areas of minors. Grimmett admitted that he knew the images and videos constituted child pornography. Grimmett also admitted to possessing images of prepubescent minors and images that portray sadistic or masochistic or other depictions of violence.

In addition, Grimmett admitted that the images he possessed were downloaded using the Internet, and the images had been shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce by means that included a computer.

Grimmett faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 14, 2013.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa Johnston.

This investigation was part of Operation Predator, a nationwide HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders and child sex traffickers. HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.

HSI is a founding member and the U.S. representative of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.