EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — A Martin County man who stole thousands of rounds of ammunition from Crane Naval Base and was also found to be in possession of a quarter of a million images of child sex abuse material has been sentenced to five years in prison.
That’s according to the United States Attorney’s Office Southern District of Indiana, which said 76-year-old Timothy Guy kept the images on 875 storage discs and 60 thumb drives. The office said the images featured children under the age of 12 years old.
Guy previously was convicted of possessing child sexual abuse material in 2018 after he was caught viewing the material at a Wendy’s over their free Wi-Fi network. An April 2021 registered sex offender check-in discovered an undisclosed computer which led to the discovery of the images, and Guy’s arrest.
“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,” U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Zachary A. Myers said.
Guy was employed as an explosive handler at the Naval Surface Warfare Center – Crane Division from 1966 through 2004. While there, Guy falsified documents saying ammunition was destroyed when in reality he had been smuggling it out of the facility.
Following the 2021 arrest a search of Guy’s property by Indiana State Police and the Martin’s County Sheriff’s Office discovered a cellar door. Inside, investigators would recover 10,000 rounds of ammunition, three rifles, and two pistols. Due to his previous felony conviction, Guy is prohibited from possessing firearms.
“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,” Myers said. “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.”
U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young during sentencing ordered that Guy be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for six years following his release from federal prison. Guy will also have to register as a sex offender.
“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.”
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.
U.S. DOJ news release
