Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 16, 1993 TAG: 9309160128
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LON WAGNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
James Hollis Kimrey, 47, was brought to Botetourt County from his Northern Virginia home Friday and charged with two counts of sexual battery.
Botetourt County Sheriff Reed Kelly said one of the two victims - who were ages 12 and 13 at the time they claim to have been molested - reported being sexually abused to an official who is required by law to forward the report to law enforcement authorities.
"This was a young lady that, since that period of her life, has had quite a bit of difficulty in dealing with what happened," Kelly said. "It just got to a point that she couldn't deal with it any longer without doing something about it."
In the 1970s, Kimrey was the minister of Cave Rock Church of the Brethren. The church no longer exists under that name, because Kimrey led the congregation in an unsuccessful attempt to break away from the national Church of the Brethren. Kimrey thought the national organization had become too liberal.
A few years after the failed breakaway, Kimrey landed in jail in neighboring Rockbridge County. Court records there indicate he apparently is still on probation for 1981 convictions for breaking into two restaurants and stealing $500.
Kimrey was sentenced to one year in jail, with nine years' probation. But he escaped from jail while serving that sentence, and in late 1984 was sentenced to a year in prison for the escape.
His nine years' probation was reinstated and was to begin again when he was released from prison in 1985.
by CNB