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Sex Offender Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Hundreds of Thousands of Child Sex Abuse Images


— November 9, 2023

…and Stealing Thousands of Rounds of Ammunition from U.S. Military.


EVANSVILLE – Timothy Guy, 76, of Martin County, Indiana, has been sentenced to 5 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon, receiving stolen U.S. government property, and possession of child sexual abuse material.

According to court documents, from 1966 through 2004, Timothy Guy was employed as an explosive’s handler at the Naval Surface Warfare Center – Crane Division. While working at Crane, he falsified documents to make it appear that ammunition had been destroyed, when in reality, he stole the ammunition and smuggled it out of the facility.

In 2018, Guy was found guilty of possessing child sexual abuse material after he was caught viewing the material at a Wendy’s restaurant—where he went to utilize the free Wi-Fi.

On April 30, 2021, a community corrections officer found an unregistered computer in Guy’s home during a routine sex offender check. Guy admitted to having flash drives that contained child sexual abuse material. A Martin County Sheriff’s deputy assisting the corrections officers quickly located over 250,000 images of children under 12 years old, on 875 data storage discs and 60 thumb drives. Guy was again arrested for possession of child sexual abuse material.

Indiana State Police investigators and Martin County Sheriff’s deputies began a search of Guy’s property following his April 30 arrest and discovered a cellar door. When a deputy checked the cellar, he located a large amount of ammunition and other material. Investigators later obtained a search warrant and recovered 10,000 rounds of ammunition, valued at over $1,000 and five firearms including three rifles and two pistols.

Guy is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his previous felony conviction of possession of child sexual abuse material.

“Undeterred by a prior conviction, the defendant possessed an enormous number of images of the most horrendous traumas inflicted upon countless innocent children, collected over many years, involving countless victims,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “Even worse, he abused the position he was entrusted with to help keep our country safe, and instead stole an enormous quantity of deadly ammunition, despite being a convicted felon and forever barred by law from having guns or ammunition. I commend the work of the ATF, ISP, Department of Defense, and Martin County Sheriff’s Office and our prosecutor for their work to hold this criminal accountable and make our community safer by getting him off our streets.”

Man in prison; image by Damir Spanic, via Unsplash.com.
Man in prison; image by Damir Spanic, via Unsplash.com.

“I applaud the investigative team and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their commitment to bring dangerous individuals like Mr. Guy to justice, putting an end to his reprehensible actions,” stated Special Agent in Charge Darrin K. Jones, DoD Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “This significant sentencing demonstrates our commitment to root out criminals associated with the DoD and safeguard the most vulnerable among us.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Department of Defense, Criminal Investigative Service, Indiana State Police, and Martin County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, Richard L. Young. Judge Young also ordered that Guy be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 6 years following his release from federal prison and register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.

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