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Wilker sentenced to 8 years
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · May 04, 2012


A federal judge on Thursday sentenced a West Branch man to more than eight years in prison for possessing more than 8,300 pictures and nearly 300 videos of child pornography.


Timothy Wilker, 43, was given the maximum sentence of 97 months — eight years, one month — for possession of child porn. At the federal courthouse in Cedar Rapids, U.S. Judge Linda Reade imposed $10,000 in fines and a $100 special assessment.

Wilker must register as a sex offender anywhere he lives inside the United States and must provide DNA samples to law enforcement. As a convicted felon, Wilker may no longer possess a firearm or ammunition, Reade said.

Wilker said he had a “long time to think” sitting in jail since his Sept. 26 arrest.

“I’m very sorry for what I’ve done,” he said.

He said he understands now why child porn is illegal and why the penalties are “so hard.” “I have to pay back my debt to society,” he said. “I’ve thought a lot in the last year, and come around to religion.”

Wilker said he is taking ministry classes and taking Alcoholics Anonymous courses.

Wilker’s attorney, Davis Foster, tried to argue for a sentence at the low end of the sentencing range — 6 1/2 years — or lower. Foster noted that Wilker has already been in jail for several months, and that he will not be able to earn much money toward retirement. Further, he said Wilker “was not on the government’s radar” and was not known on child porn Web sites for producing the images.

“This was a secret (he) was holding,” Foster said. “It was locked up in his closet. When his son turned him in, (Wilker) was immediately cooperative.”

Foster said one officer called Wilker “helpful” in their search for child porn producers, even though his information “(did not) assist the government further.”

Foster said that Wilker’s mother died in a car accident while the case was pending and that Wilker soon after attempted suicide.

“He feels he should have been able to take care of her,” the attorney said. “And there is no evidence that he has ever molested a child.”

“I’d like to give my deepest sympathies to the children and people hurt in those acts (of producing the child porn),” Wilker said. “If I could be any help (catching others) I’d be glad to be of service.”

Reade said that investigators have identified some of the victims found in the materials Wilker possessed, and all have been asked if they would like some sort of restitution. All declined.

“Sometimes it is easy to forget that the children in these still images and videos are real people, real children,” she said. “Every time someone downloads them, they are further victimized.”

Reade had the power to rule for a “variance” on the sentence, giving Wilker less than or more than the 78 to 97 months. “If I were to vary, ... it would be upward,” she said.

She said that a number of the pictures showed men raping prepubescent children — age 12 and under — and there was “no question” that Wilker used them for “sexual release.”

She said that police determined Wilker, stating he was trying to figure out who was stealing his medicine, placed a hidden video camera in his bathroom, recording at least two women.

The judge said Wilker was originally found with the child porn on May 2, 2009, and given guidelines for behavior while awaiting charges, yet during an unannounced home visit, a probation officer found magazines and computer images of adult pornography in Wilker’s home. At the sentencing hearing, Wilker said he did not know where those came from, stating that his son was home alone while he worked the night shift at Procter & Gamble, and that the computer had belonged to his brother.

“I tried to comply as best I could,” he said, but Reade cut him off.

“So by magic all these just appeared?” the judge said sarcastically. “Even if what you told me is true — and I have my doubts — that does not change anything.”

She said Wilker seemed to be implying that his son and brother were at fault, and suggested he stop talking before getting himself into more trouble.

Reade then noted that federal guidelines for child porn have sentencing levels depending on the number of images. The highest level is “600 or more.”

“You had 50 times the number of images scored under the advisory guidelines,” Reade said. “This is a very serious offense. You obviously view children in a sexual manner, and, as such, are a danger to children.”

Reade said the only negative trait viewers of child porn have in common is viewing children as sex objects.

“Many have no criminal history, an ordinary family background and are employed,” the judge said. “And their families are shocked once they learn the secret.”

As Wilker was about to be escorted out of the courtroom, he was given permission to say goodbye to family members, several of whom were present, but was not allowed to touch them. His father, not hearing the instruction about not touching, stepped forward as if to give Wilker a hug, but was stopped by other family members. Wilker became emotional as his father spoke briefly to him, then began to cry as he was led away from his family. His family became emotional as well.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Tremmel.