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Amissville man pleads guilty to child porn and molestation charges
James Carlton Benkelman
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According to Rappahannock County Commonwealth’s Attorney Arthur Goff, James Carlton Benkelman, 48, pleaded guilty Monday to 11 felony charges in relation to an investigation of child pornography and molestation.
“Obviously, we’re very glad that he plead guilty,” said Sheriff Connie Smith of the R a p p a h a n n o ck Sheriff’s Office.
“We’re very satisfied with the outcome, and now the victims and their families can finally start the healing process,” she said.
Benkelman was arrested last July 2 after an acquaintance allegedly entered his home and discovered images of child pornography in open Internet windows on his computer.
Further investigation of his home in Rappahannock Lakes by the county’s Sheriff’s Office and members of the NOVA Internet Crimes Against Children(ICAC) task force uncovered further evidence of child pornography on several electronic devices, including CDs, DVDs, computers and a cell phone.
In the months that followed, two 13-year-old male victims filed charges of molestation against Beckelman.
Several parents in the Rappahannock neighborhood also came forward with accusations against the former arborist, which led to a total of 73 charges, including taking indecent liberties with a juvenile, aggressive sexual battery and sodomy with a victim under 13.
“Everyone worked hard during this investigation,” Smith said. “The officers from this department and those from the task force worked very well together to catch this guy, and I’m very happy with how swiftly things have been leading up to this plea.”
“It’s unfortunate that these people are out there,” Smith said. “Parents have to keep their kids close. This sort of thing is a continual process — a rotating ball, so to speak — that has been happening for years, and with the Internet it’s a lot more easily accessible. But in working with the ICAC system we’re a part of, we’re able to monitor certain programs online in order to find these people.”
According to Goff, Benkelman will serve 32 years of his sentence, which will keep him behind bars until he is 80 years old.
“Obviously, we’re very glad that he plead guilty,” said Sheriff Connie Smith of the R a p p a h a n n o ck Sheriff’s Office.
“We’re very satisfied with the outcome, and now the victims and their families can finally start the healing process,” she said.
Benkelman was arrested last July 2 after an acquaintance allegedly entered his home and discovered images of child pornography in open Internet windows on his computer.
Further investigation of his home in Rappahannock Lakes by the county’s Sheriff’s Office and members of the NOVA Internet Crimes Against Children(ICAC) task force uncovered further evidence of child pornography on several electronic devices, including CDs, DVDs, computers and a cell phone.
In the months that followed, two 13-year-old male victims filed charges of molestation against Beckelman.
Several parents in the Rappahannock neighborhood also came forward with accusations against the former arborist, which led to a total of 73 charges, including taking indecent liberties with a juvenile, aggressive sexual battery and sodomy with a victim under 13.
“Everyone worked hard during this investigation,” Smith said. “The officers from this department and those from the task force worked very well together to catch this guy, and I’m very happy with how swiftly things have been leading up to this plea.”
“It’s unfortunate that these people are out there,” Smith said. “Parents have to keep their kids close. This sort of thing is a continual process — a rotating ball, so to speak — that has been happening for years, and with the Internet it’s a lot more easily accessible. But in working with the ICAC system we’re a part of, we’re able to monitor certain programs online in order to find these people.”
According to Goff, Benkelman will serve 32 years of his sentence, which will keep him behind bars until he is 80 years old.
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