Parkville Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Production and Distribution of Child Pornography

Took Sexually Explicit Photographs of Two Girls – One Learning Disabled and One Autistic

June 15, 2010 - BALTIMORE, MD—U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Jaroy Emory Gilmer, age 29, of Parkville, Maryland, today to 30 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for two counts of production of child pornography and distribution of child pornography.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein, Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.

“An FBI agent using the internet in Illinois found child pornography on Jaroy Emory Gilmer’s computer in Maryland,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Thanks to that discovery, authorities were able to locate two children who were victimized by Gilmer in Baltimore County.”

According to Gilmer’s plea agreement, an FBI agent in Illinois was conducting an undercover operation and downloaded 23 images of child pornography from a file sharing program on Gilmer’s computer. As a result, FBI agents subsequently searched Gilmer’s home and seized his computer. On May 19, 2009, a 12 year old girl who was learning disabled told authorities that Gilmer, who had supervisory custody or control of the girl, had taken pictures of her naked. Gilmer admitted taking sexually explicit pictures of a 14 year old autistic girl over whom he also had supervisory custody or control. A forensic review of Gilmer’s computer revealed 750 images and 20 videos of child pornography, including prepubescent children, toddlers, and sadistic images of bondage, as well as sexually explicit pictures of the two girls.

Gilmer still faces related state charges. He has been in custody since his arrest on May 19, 2009.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Details about Maryland’s program are available at http://www.justice.gov/usao/md/Safe-Childhood/index.html.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Bonnie S. Greenberg, who prosecuted the case.