Jimmy Rollins, 44, of Palmer, Tn., entered a guilty plea Tuesday in Federal Court in Chattanooga to producing child pornography.
Sentencing has been set for May 6. Rollins faces a minimum term of 25 years up to 50 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and supervised release from five years to life.
In February 2012, an undercover investigation by the Winchester Police Department identified Rollins as a person who used the Internet to traffic in pornographic images of children. A search of his home in May revealed equipment used in the production of child pornography, and multiple photographic images and videos of Rollins engaged in sexual activity with a known minor. All the child pornographic scenes were set in a bedroom that can be recognized as Rollins’, authorities said.
Rollins had been previously convicted in 1994 of two counts of statutory rape in the Criminal Circuit Court of Grundy County.
United States Attorney William C. Killian said, “We will aggressively prosecute those who are using interstate commerce to victimize children for profit and sexual gratification. Let the message be clear: If you engage in production of child pornography in the Eastern District of Tennessee, you will be caught and you will serve significant time in prison.”
On Nov. 27, a nine-count indictment was returned against Rollins by a federal grand jury sitting in Chattanooga. This indictment was the result of an ongoing investigation by the Winchester Police Department, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the FBI. John P. MacCoon, Assistant United States Attorney, represented the United States.
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 the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.