Federal Defendant from Ashland Pleads Guilty to Distributing Images of Abuse of Children

Registered Sex Offender Used Internet at Ashland Public Library and Local Businesses to Download Child Pornography

MEDFORD, OR—Thomas William Crimmins, 54, of Ashland, Oregon, pled guilty on February 13, 2012 to 10 felony charges relating to the possession, mailing, and distribution of child pornography.

The investigation began in June 2010, when agents determined that Crimmins was uploading images of child pornography to a website that allowed the user to share the images with others. Crimmins had uploaded child abuse images and a videotape using the Internet from a local coffee shop and the Ashland Public Library. Agents further determined that Crimmins was a registered sex offender living at a transient campsite in Ashland.

A forensic analysis of Crimmin’s seized laptop computers, camera, CDs and floppy discs revealed several hundred images of children involved in sexually explicit conduct. Evidence further showed that Crimmins had been e-mailing and distributing child abuse images to users across the United States and the world. A number of the child abuse victims depicted in the images were identified as known child abuse victims by the Center for Exploited or Missing Children.

Crimmins is in custody and will be sentenced on April 23, 2012 by Senior U.S. District Judge Owen M. Panner. Crimmins faces up to 40 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime period of supervised release.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Judith Harper is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI and the Southern Oregon High-Tech Crimes Task Force.