Paulgrimm Complaint

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Criminal Complaint against Paul Grimm who pleaded guilty to transporting a minor female across state lines for the purpose of having sex.

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Case 3:14-cr-00010 Document 1 Filed in TXSD on 03/31/14 Page 1 of 6
411::t.6091 (Rey 12103) Crimipal Complaipt

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
Southern

Texas

DISTRICT OF

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CRIMINAL COMPLAINT

V.
PAUL FRANCIS GRIMM

Case Number:

&--/4- rn J - I \

(Name and Address of Defendant)

I, the undersigned complainant state that the following is true and correct to the best of my
knowledge and belief. On or about _3_'_23_'_20_1_4_ _ _ _ in Galveston

County, in

(Date)

the

District of _T_e_x_a_s_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ defendant(s) did,

Southern

(Track Statutory Language ofOffense)

knowingly transport an individual who has not attained the age of 18 years in interstate or foreign commerce, or in

any commonwealth, territory or possession of the United States, with intent that the individual engage in

prostitution, or in any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense


in violation of Title _1_8_ _ _ _ _ United States Code, Section(s) _2_4_2_3(;:...a.;...)_ _ _ _ _ _ __
I further state that I am a(n)

_F_B_I_S..:.p_e_ci_al_A,"",g"-.:e~nt~~_ _ _ _ _ _

and that this complaint is based on the

Official Title

following facts:
See the attached affidavit of FBI Special Agent Richard Rennison

Continued on the attached sheet and made a part of this complaint:

Signature of Complainant

Richard Rennison
Printed Name of Complainant

Sworn to before me and signed in my presence,

;!/a/ell 3t U?I i

at

Date

John R. Froeschner
Name of Judge

U.S. Magistrate
Title of Judge

Galveston

Texas

Case 3:14-cr-00010 Document 1 Filed in TXSD on 03/31/14 Page 2 of 6

AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF CRIMINAL COMPLAINT

I, Richard Rennison, being duly sworn, depose and state:
1.

I am a Special Agent, employed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and

assigned to the Houston Division, Texas City Resident Agency. I have been a Special Agent for
over ten years, and a municipal police officers for over ten years prior to my employment with
the FBI. I am charged with the duty of investigating violations of the laws of the United States,
collecting evidence in cases in which the United States is or may be a party in interest, and
performing other duties imposed by law. During my employment with the FBI, I have
investigated many cases involving the exploitation of children and have participated in the
execution of search warrants for documents and other evidence, including computers and
electronic media, in cases involving the sexual exploitation of children.

I have also participated

in various FBI mandated and volunteer training for the investigation and enforcement of federal
child exploitation laws, and was a Supervisory Special Agent at FBI Headquarters in the Crimes
Against Children Unit.
2.

This Affidavit is made in support of a criminal complaint charging PAUL

FRANCIS GRIMM with violating 18 U.S.C. § 2423(a), which makes it a crime to transport a
minor in interstate commerce with the intent that the minor engages in prostitution, or in any
sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense.
3.

I am familiar with the information contained in this Affidavit based upon the

investigation I have personally conducted and my conversations with other law enforcement
officers involved in this investigation.
4.

Because this Affidavit is being submitted for the limited purpose of securing a

criminal complaint, I have not included each and every fact known to me concerning this

Case 3:14-cr-00010 Document 1 Filed in TXSD on 03/31/14 Page 3 of 6

investigation, I have set forth only those facts that I believe are necessary to establish probable
cause that evidence ofa violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2423(a) has been committed by PAUL
FRANCIS GRIMM on or about March 23,2014. Where statements of others are set forth in this
Affidavit, they are set forth in substance and in part.
5.

On Saturday, March 29,2014, United States Customs and Border Patrol (CBP)

agents were working at the Galveston, Texas Cruise Ship Terminal, debarking passengers from
the Carnival Cruise Lines Triumph cruise ship. CBP Officer Mandelbaum spoke with an adult
male passenger (later identified as PAUL FRANCIS GRIMM,

years old, date of birth

who was travelling with a female child, initials HW,

years old, date of birth

I

. Officer Mandelbaum noticed the two had different last names and asked if they were
related in any fashion, and was told they were not. Officer Mandelbaum became suspicious of
them because of their age difference and the fact they were travelling together as non-family and
sent them for secondary screening.
6.

While in secondary screening GRIMM and HW were separated and not allowed

to speak to each other. After being asked questions, HW admitted that she had a sexual
relationship with GRIMM while on board the Carnival Triumph. HW said that she was from
;;

j

Ohio, and GRIMM was from Kansas and they met when GRIMM lived in Ohio and HW was
friends with GRIMM's daughter who is the same age as HW.

7.

Also during secondary screening, CBP Officers looked in GRIMM's cellular

phone and observed several naked pictures ofHW. Furthermore, while looking through
GRIMM's luggage, they observed numerous condoms, a dildo, a penis pump, and sexual
lubricant. GRIMM was not cooperative with CBP officers and would not talk about the photos
or other items they observed. CBP officers called the Houston FBI office and notified them of

Case 3:14-cr-00010 Document 1 Filed in TXSD on 03/31/14 Page 4 of 6

what they learned to this point who then contacted Affiant.
8.

Your Affiant, along with FBI Special Agent Kenneth Carleton-Smith and

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent Dwayne Lewis, went to the Galveston
Cruise Ship Tenninal and met with CBP officials who told them what they had learned up to that
point. Affiant and SA Lewis interviewed HW, who told them that she met GRIMM while he and
his two children lived near her in Ohio, and she was friends with his daughter. HW said that
approximately two years ago, GRIMM and his children moved to Kansas but she kept in contact
with GRIMM by text messages and phone calls. Over time, their relationship became flirtatious
and on several occasions they sent each other naked pictures of themselves via text messages.
9.

HW went on to state that around Valentine's Day of2014, GRIMM asked HW if

she wanted to go on a cruise with him, and she said that she did. They decided to tell HW's
mother that GRIMM was going to take his two children on the cruise and wanted HW to go with
all of them. HW told her mother that story and her mother allowed her to go on the cruise with
GRIMM. HW said that GRIMM purchased her an airline ticket to fly from Cleveland, Ohio, to
Houston, Texas on United Airlines, and also paid for her to go on the cruise.
10.

HW said that on Sunday, March 23, 2014, she flew from Ohio to Houston and

GRIMM picked her up at the airport. They drove to Galveston, Texas, and stayed in the Hilton
on the Seawall that night. On Monday, March 24,2014, they boarded the Triumph for their
cruise. Due to an oil spill in the Galveston ship channel, the cruise did not depart until the
following day, Tuesday, March 25, 2014. HW said that while on the ship. she had sex with
GRIMM on one occasion, and had oral sex with him on two occasions.
11.

Affiant and SA Lewis then interviewed GRIMM. GRIMM said that he knew HW

through his daughter when they lived near her in Ohio. He said that HW had a troubled

Case 3:14-cr-00010 Document 1 Filed in TXSD on 03/31/14 Page 5 of 6

upbringing and he wanted to be a mentor or father figure to her, and show her that if you make
good decisions, things can be better than the way she is living now. GRIMM said that he told
HW's mother that he would take her on the cruise along with his children, but said that he did
not take his children, only HW. GRIMM purchased the tickets for the cruise on Carnival's
website approximately two or three weeks prior to the cruise. GRIMM also purchased an airline
ticket for HW to fly from Ohio to Houston. GRIMM drove from Kansas and picked up HW at
Bush Intercontinental Airport on Sunday, March 23,2014. He then took her to Galveston and
they spent that night in the Hilton hotel on Seawall Boulevard. The following day, they boarded
the ship for the cruise.
12.

Affiant asked GRIMM what he would find when they looked in his phone, and

GRIMM said that he did have naked pictures ofHW, and that he should have deleted them.
Affiant asked if they had sex and GRIMM denied that they ever had sexual relations. GRIMM
said that HW wanted the relationship to be sexual, but GRIMM told her it was not going to be
that way. When Affiant asked GRIMM about the dildo, penis pump, condoms, and lubricant in
his luggage, GRIMM stated that he was a single man and that he may meet someone on the
cruise. GRIMM then stated he would like to consult with his attorney, and all questions ceased
at that time.
13.

Affiant also contacted Sal Garafalo, who works for Carnival Corporate Security in

Miami. Garafalo researched GRIMM's booking information and learned that GRIMM booked
the travel on March 12,2014, and that the only tickets purchased by GRIMM were for him and
HW. There was no record of GRIMM purchasing tickets for anyone else, including his children.
14.

FBI Agents from the Cleveland, Ohio office interviewed HW's mother. She

confirmed that she knew GRIMM because her daughter was friends with GRIMM's children.

Case 3:14-cr-00010 Document 1 Filed in TXSD on 03/31/14 Page 6 of 6

She stated that GRIMM told her that he was taking his children on a cruise for spring break. and
asked if HW could go with them. She felt GRIMM was being honest and allowed her daughter
to go on the trip.
15.

Based upon the information set forth above, I believe that probable cause exists

for the issuance of a Criminal Complaint charging PAUL FRANCIS GRIMM with a violation of
18 U.S.C. § 2423(a), which makes it a crime to transport a minor in interstate commerce with the
intent tbat the minor engages in prostitution, or in any sexual activity for which any person can
be charged with a criminal offense.

Affiant, Richard Rennison

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