By JAMES MITCHELL
Sunday Times Newspapers
TAYLOR — A Taylor man was effectively handed a life sentence Monday by U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Edmunds for having produced child pornography featuring four teen girls ages 13 to 15.
Bennie Ray Grimes, 67, was sentenced to the maximum penalty allowed of 60 years after he pleaded guilty last month to two counts of producing child pornography.
Grimes could face an additional life sentence Monday when sentenced in Wayne County Circuit Court on charges of criminal sexual conduct. Last month Grimes pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, two of which involved a child under the age of 13.
Grimes was first arraigned on more than 30 sex crime counts after an investigation in April revealed he had sexually assaulted, photographed and videotaped three teen girls at his house on Beech Daly Road.
According to police and prosecutors, Grimes had known the girls through relatives and the sexual assaults had taken place over several years. Grimes had provided the girls — as young as 8 years old when the assaults first took place — with money, alcohol and marijuana in exchange for sexual activities.
One of the victims had described the activities to an adult, and as evidence showed “a stack of photographs” involving Grimes and the girls.
The girl was taken to the Taylor police station. Not long after, Grimes walked into the station to learn why she was talking with police and was taken into custody.
Following Grimes’ arraignment in 23rd District Court on sexual assault charges, he was further charged in U.S. District Court with producing child pornography. City and federal investigators had discovered numerous images and videos in Grimes’ house and on his computer.
(James Mitchell can be reached at [email protected].)