Superior Court Judge Andrew Roper sentenced Robert Scott Sims, 71, of Buchanan, to serve 20 years in prison, with 20 years on probation to follow. Sims was arrested following a Georgia Bureau of Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force tip. The Task Force was alerted to a Dropbox account, which had nearly 7,000 images of confirmed child pornography. This tip lead the Haralson County Sheriff’s Office securing warrants for Sims’ home and computers. A forensic analysis of Sims’ computers, by the Carrollton Police Department, ultimately discovered over one million images of suspected child pornography. After a lengthy process of reviewing and categorizing many of the images, a Haralson County Grand Jury indicted Sims on thirty-eight counts of sexual exploitation of children. Deputy Chief Assistant D.A. Sarah Japour of the Haralson County District Attorney’s Office led the prosecution for the State.
On Friday, September 6, Sims pled guilty to 37 counts of child exploitation. A sentencing hearing took place where Investigator Heather Mecillas testified to the court how the case was ultimately discovered and investigated. Mecillas testified that Sims not only possessed these images, he also distributed thousands of images to other internet users. Many family and community members testified for Sims.
Chief Assistant D. A. Jaeson Smith stated, “On behalf of the Office of the District Attorney, we would like to thank the GBI ICAC Task Force, the Haralson County Sheriff’s Office and the Carrollton Police Department for the hundreds of hours put into this case. Sarah Japour and Robert Peterkin, of our Haralson County office, did a tremendous job presenting the case.”
Smith continued, “This is the largest child pornography case the Tallapoosa Circuit has ever seen. If we were to line these children shoulder to shoulder, we would have over 190 miles of children who were abused and filmed. Though most of the photos and videos originate from foreign counties, the number of images Mr. Sims possessed is equivalent to one third of every ten year old in the United States. We are grateful to Judge Roper for his sentence and hope that it sends a message to those who prey on our weakest victims.”
