Mental health counselor Nathan T. Simmons charged with possession of child pornography

July 26, 2013

A Roanoke mental health professional has been charged with sharing explicit child pornography videos over the Internet.

Nathan Tyler Simmons , 31, was charged last week with felony possession and/or reproduction of child pornography with intent to distribute.

A search warrant filed in Roanoke Circuit Court on July 19 says two detectives with the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force identified a Virginia-based computer in May that was "offering to participate in the distribution of known or suspected child pornography," according to the warrant filed by Roanoke police Detective R. Krawczyk.

Krawczyk said he downloaded five videos on May 14 from the computer showing explicit sexual images of boys between the ages of 6 and 17.

Investigators executed a search warrant on July 18 at an apartment in the 500 block of Sixth Street Southwest after subpoenaing subscriber information for that IP address from Cox Communications, Krawczyk said. They seized a computer, laptop, portable hard drive and other electronics, according to the warrant.

Simmons, whose arrest warrant lists his address as the same one detectives searched, was arrested that day. He's being held at the Roanoke City Jail awaiting an Aug. 30 court date.

Police spokesman Sgt. Jason Holt said Tuesday that the department would not comment on the case, citing the ongoing investigation. The warrant doesn't specify whether investigators believe Simmons made the videos himself. He has not been charged with producing child pornography.

Simmons listed New Choices Counseling in Roanoke as his employer on a court application for a public defender. A website for the counseling center previously listed Tyler Simmons as resident counselor and qualified mental health professional, but his name has since been removed.

Owner David Geho referred questions to attorney Deborah Caldwell-Bono , who said the facility would not confirm that Simmons was employed there. When asked if Simmons had worked with children, she again refused to confirm his employment.

Source: Jordan Fifer, "Child porn charges for mental health worker," Roanoke Times, July 25, 2013.