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Wednesday, November 19, 2008 3:00 AM
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By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
More people have told authorities they were victims of 81-year-old Aubrey Neal Grimes, who is charged with taking indecent liberties with a child.
Rowan County Sheriff George Wilhelm said Tuesday morning additional charges are pending against Grimes.
Officials plan to present the case to a grand jury, which is scheduled to meet Dec. 1.
Wilhelm said a 65-year-old man who lived in High Point came forward with accusations, saying Grimes molested him 50 years ago. Grimes was charged more than 20 years ago in a High Point case, and now he could face more charges.
"There are no statute of limitations on a felony," Wilhelm said.
First-degree sex offense with a child and indecent liberties are felony charges.
Grimes faces two counts of first-degree sex offense with an 8-year-old and one count of indecent liberties. He could face the same charges for any subsequent victims.
In addition to the 8-year-old he is charged with assaulting, two more boys have given statements to investigators. Wilhelm would not confirm the boys' ages.
Officials are asking other victims or anyone with information to contact Sgt. Chad Moose at 704-216-8687 or Detective Jason Whitley at 704-216-8712.
Wilhelm said if other victims come forward, "We are willing to prosecute."
The 65-year-old man, whose name is not being released, contacted law enforcement to say he too had been a victim.
In 1987, Grimes was convicted in Guilford County for taking indecent liberties with a child.
His conviction came at a time when the N.C. sex offender registry was not in use. The registry became available in July 1996.
Grimes, who many know as "Pops," has volunteered for years with Little League baseball in eastern Rowan County.
A parent filed a report in the case of an 8-year-old boy, who was not associated with Little League.
The incidents occurred in 2007 at Grimes' Ashford Circle home in Salisbury.
Brent Houpe, president of the East Rowan Little League, confirmed the only relationship Grimes had with the league was to operate the electronic scoreboard. He also recorded scores from the games.
Houpe said Little League International's policy on background checks did not apply to Grimes, who volunteered and did not directly work with any of the children.
"The Little League International requires a background check on all official board members, coaches and umpires who have direct contact with the kids on the field during practices and games," he said.
Grimes also helped open the concession stands when others could not arrive early enough to do so, Houpe said.
"The concession stands don't have direct contact with the kids. He falls under the same category as parents. They volunteer, but it is not required to have background checks on those individuals," he said.
A change in policy would have to be made by Little League International, Houpe said. He said he could not predict if the League would amend the policy in light of Grimes' arrest.
Little League International is headquartered in Williamsport, Pa.
A concession stand at the East Rowan ball field in Faith is named for Grimes.
A 2003 Post article noted Grimes helped maintain the facility in Faith by dragging the field, cleaning the bathrooms and grill room, picking up trash and sweeping the grandstand.
Grimes suffered two heart attacks in the 1970s and a stroke in May 2002, the Post article said.
Houpe said he wants to make sure people understand that authorities have made no indication that any of the incidents took place at any location other than Grimes' residence.
Grimes remains in the Rowan County Detention Center under $100,000 secured bond.
A first appearance hearing was held Monday. Grimes requested a court-appointed attorney. His next court date is slated for Nov. 26.
What do you think? Post your comment below.
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watchman
Get the Training : Thursday, January 29, 2009 6:25 PM
There is a wonderful organization that helps educate, train, and facilitate prevention in our county. Prevent Child Abuse Rowan facilitates a nationally recognized program for parents, volunteers, coaches and all those actively serving in youth-serving organizations. Here is the link, or you can contact Carol Dunlap in the local phone listing.
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Surviver
Blame????? : Thursday, December 04, 2008 12:14 AM
Because of being molested, there is almost no one I trust with my children. I even checked out my husband when we meet sad I know. I was molested by a family member. Its not just the strangers, or the neighbors. A predator can be a mother, father, uncle, friend, son or daughter. Someone you love. Your kids have to know early what is appropriate or inappropriate a hug, pat on the back, bottom, leg etc.... giving and receiving. If my kids want to go to someone's home I have to know them and then know who is also going to be there.I want my kids to see the news and read the paper. I have been asked if I think that there to young to see and hear some of these terrible things. Most children molested are victomized when there young enough to scare, or convince that telling could be harmful in some way. I have issues with trick or treat, I loved to trick or treat when I was a kid. BUT now it makes no since to tell my children that its ok to knock on a strangers door once a year for candy. Sorry some of you may know that you can heal but some scars stay forever. I am so so so sad and angry when a child is abused or voilated in any way. You can't always blame the parents.They are the victoms too. A predator can be anyone. Predator - One that victimizes, plunders, or destroys, especially for one's own gain. They know how to win people or children's hearts until caught. I knew Pops and I am surprised but not surprised, very sad though. Even though I knew my kids had never been alone with him, I still told them and asked questions about Pops. I am so sorry for the victoms and there families. Your in my prayers, God Bless.
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t
Nice Elderly Gentleman : Saturday, November 22, 2008 12:41 PM
I took Pops some lunch to the jail house today. He wants to come home so bad. He is sooo kind, why cant people see that?
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R
WHEN ARE PARNETS GUNNA LEARN... : Friday, November 21, 2008 12:33 PM
GET A GRIP PEOPLE!! It's not the ones that have been caught and labeled a SEX OFFENDER that you have to worry about...it's the ones that HAVEN'T been CAUGHT and LABELED yet that are ALWAYS a threat to our children. So what if they knew about Grimes ahead of time. He had a history that perhaps should have been checked on. If they knew, than he would have been banned or whatever they do when they find out about someone's criminal past. BUT what about the PEDOPHILES that are around our kids EVERY DAY that have no criminal past? There are pedophiles EVERYWHERE that just haven't been caught yet and can PASS a criminal backround check!! THOSE are the ones you have to watch out for. Parents have to be cautious of everyone in order to keep their children safe.
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heyblue (Joe Miller)
Re: Concerned Dad? : Friday, November 21, 2008 10:50 AM
Let's look at your comments. When you say East decided not to do background checks, how do you know this? Every active member of the league (Pop was not an active member of the league) was checked when I was on the board. I guarantee that. Yes, umpires were checked every year, and anyone who knows me, knows that I made sure of it. I was over the umpires. And yes, these checks were made every year. And yes, we did all the required checks. Any parent, umpire, coach, and volunteer that had access to direct contact with the kids were checked. Pop did not have direct contact with the kids - well, not at the field anyway. As for "practice coaches", these were not allowed by the league. At the beginning of the season, each head coach was required to list his assistants that he would be using at practice and during games. If a person were not officially listed as an assistant, they were not supposed to be used during any time including practice. Their role would be that of a parent. If coaches violated this policy, they took it upon themselves to do so. Your question (5) asks about board members. We were checked every year - all of us. Question (6) asks about parents assisting in various capacities: while we appreciated the many parents helping with telephone committees and working in the background, they were not directly related to a team or in direct contact with the kids on the team. Question (7) asks about others as equipment manager, field maintenance, scorekeeper, and/or announcer? Yes, we have these positions and they were board members - except the scorekeeper and announcer. These were not official positions, we allowed each team to serve as their own scorekeepers. Pop agreed to be the announcer and was there most every game. I volunteered to announce some games and anyone else who would have wanted to volunteer could have. Your points are moog and don't really clarify anything. When I was on the board, we certainly run the league by the rules set forth by Little League International. I'm signing my name, how 'bout you, "concerned dad?" What's yours? Or do you prefer to hide your comments behind the opportunity to remain annonymous?
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RobMan
Thanks Bill, Lee, Socks and Attentive Parent : Thursday, November 20, 2008 9:32 AM
Outstanding comments. Finally I read something that shows we do have some great people in this world that are willing to take responsibility and not blame others for what has happened. I hate this happened with Pop but an many of you have stated it just goes to prove that we need to be parents 24/7. Thanks again for restoring my faith is some of mankind.
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lou
criminal background checks : Thursday, November 20, 2008 8:55 AM
If a check had been done, it would have been only done for rowan county. Well, Grimes never commited a crime in Rowan county, so his record would have been clean.
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An attentive parent
Agreed - Parents need to be PRESENT in their children's lives : Thursday, November 20, 2008 8:43 AM
I whole heartedly agree with sock32 on the need for parents to actually be there with their kids. Too many parents these days are more concerned with their jobs, hair appointments, the gym, their cell phones, etc. to actually pay attention to their children. As a parent it is our responsibility to ensure that our children are safe. Yes, there are going to be times when their safety is out of our control but it is our responsibility to do whatever we can to protect them. Why was this child allowed to be at "Pop's" house alone? Where was the parent??? I have a 7 year old son and he doesn't go in anyone's house alone unless it's his immediate family. He also doesn't walk off from me at the ball field, a restaurant, the grocery store, or anywhere else. Is it really too much to ask for parents to get off their lazy butts and actually walk with their child to the concession stand, to the bathroom, back to the car or wherever? Is whatever parents need to be doing really that important that they have to leave their child unattended at the ballfield while they go and run errands? It isn't the coach's responsibility to make sure your child is safe and well taken care of...it's YOURS! I am certainly not blaming these parents for what happened to their child; however, this could have been prevented if the parents would have simply been more careful about where their child went unattended. As for what the Little League can do to try and prevent this from occuring in the future...require volunteers to present their own background check in order to volunteer. It's 10 or 15 bucks at the court house and I can guarantee you that if a person really has their heart in volunteering they will pay this minimal fee to help out the league and if they are a pedofile...they won't! However, parents please remember that all pedofiles and criminals alike started with a clean record so it is still your job to watch out for your children!
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Lee
Socks32 : Thursday, November 20, 2008 7:53 AM
I couldn't have said it better!!
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socks32
Parents are the most important : Thursday, November 20, 2008 12:43 AM
Parents cannot blame a board, coach or anyone else about what happened to this child or any other child. Be there when your child is there, don't send them, keep them in your sight and you won't have to worry. Some of you send children to play sports by whoever will pick them up and let whoever bring them home. Your child is being raised by whomever will take him or her to whatever is going on. You never know what goes on in other people's lives if you are not there.I have great grand-children and have been going to sports events ever since my children played and now for the grands and great-grands. My family has made it a practice to work wherever we were needed at sporting events and anything our children were involved in be it sports, church, scouts etc. even though we all had jobs. We worked out a schedule so the child/children would never be without a family member. It was hard but well worth it. You put your priorities in order and have nothing to worry about. The situation involving Mr. Grimes has been a shock to this community. Everyone knows him and he never gave any hints of anything being "shady" in his lifestyle or dealing with thousnads of children who have come through ER Little League. He knew their names, their positions, their batting averages, homeruns and remembered the names of those who had been out of school forever. He just acted like an ordinary proud granpa to these children. May God be with the children that have been violated and their families. May God also be with Mr. Grimes and show him the error of his ways and may parents pay closer attention to their children and their where abouts, life is short protect the lives of these innocent ones. Don't depend on someone else to do it.
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Bill
From a former Coach : Wednesday, November 19, 2008 9:40 PM
I was required to fill out forms every year for criminal background check. He was still a volunteer and there was not a policy in effect for the countless people (not just Grimes) who gave their time in this league to just help out. EVERYONE is just shocked at this entire event and yes people are going to make excuses because they feel bad for the victims. What exactly do you want the leaders to do? Instead of complaining about it why don't you give them some support and advice for how not to let this happen again? Little leagues are run on a shoestring budget because parents don't want to pay a fortune for their kids to play ball (especially in a down economy), if I remember it was $65 a year for my kid to play in East Rowan Little League and even with that the fund raisers were a large part of the budget. It's not an excuse but you can't pay $50 for every person who is remotely involved each and every year, the math just doesn't work. Now if parents want to step up and pay $200 per year (which they won't) then maybe you can do it. It costs a lot of money to keep the fields up and lights on and water running for irrigation, bases in good shape, backstops, pay umpires, etc, etc, etc. Grimes was really good at hiding his illness/disease/sickness whatever you want call it and he did a LOT of this work for free, now we know why but what about the COUNTLESS others who volunteer who are NOT criminals or child molesters? Now everybody is going to be a suspect if they want to help out the kids. The world just becomes more and more dangerous for our kids as we move forward. Why isn't anyone asking the parents why they let their 8 year old kid go over to "get his bike fixed"?
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Concerend Dad
Read the Little League Site : Wednesday, November 19, 2008 5:55 PM
If you read the Little League site you will find the below and it suggests to do background checks and East decided not to. Bad idea to not do it. How many years did the have the chance to? Some questions to ask before you begin: (1) Are we doing all of the background checks that are required? It does not matter who was checked last year – background checks must be performed on an annual basis. (2) How many managers/coaches do we have per team - 2 or 3? (3)How many additional people are helping at practices as “practice coaches”? (4)How many umpires are being checked? (5)How many board members? (6)How many parent(s) are assisting teams in various capacities? (7) Do we have other positions in the league like equipment manager, field maintenance, scorekeeper, and/or announcer?
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V. Cope
No Criminal Check??? : Wednesday, November 19, 2008 11:33 AM
It was reported no criminal record was ran on Grimes because he's a volunteer. When will folks realize pedophiles volunteer in order to be near his potential victims.
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Little League Mom
The little Gingerbread house? : Wednesday, November 19, 2008 8:54 AM
Yeah, yeah right. It's disingenuous for officials to say he didn't work directly with children, since anywhere on a Little League field is a place where children are likely to be found. The concession stand that bore Grimes' name until Friday afternoon was like the Gingerbread House of the fairy tale---a trap for innocent children to get caught in. Kids love to hang out at concession stands, help the scoreboard guy, etc. So why are we hearing so many excuses now? Do you really think you did enough to protect the innocence of our sons?
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