John Rimmasch out of prison

ted101 · **Joined:** Tue Jul 17, 2012 5:24 pm **Posts:** 76

I was in Colorado today talking with a friend and he told me John Rimmasch got out of prison early and was getting back into steam restorations. I was surprised as I didn't think you could get out of federal prison early.

Anyone know what locomotive he is working on?

Ted

Kelly Anderson · **Posted:** Tue Nov 28, 2023 10:33 pm

Per the federal find a prisoner website, he is still in a halfway house in Phoenix, currently due to be released on 4/24/24. That date keeps moving up, I assume as a reward for good behavior.

Once he is out, I have no doubt that someone will hire him in short order.

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2370

Will an ankle bracelet stay in electronic contact inside of a firebox?

co614 · **Posted:** Wed Nov 29, 2023 10:32 am

Scripture teaches us that as we judge others that's the standard upon we will be judged.

Let's hope for his and his families sake that he has learned that corner cutting ends up poorly, especially when dealing with potentially lethal machines.

IMHO-Ross Rowland

mspetersen · **Joined:** Fri Feb 25, 2011 11:13 pm **Posts:** 96

If he's completed his time in Prison he's supposedly served his debt to society and we should treat him as such unless he demonstrates why we shouldn't.

Jack Powell · **Joined:** Wed Jan 11, 2006 6:12 pm **Posts:** 109

[quote="mspetersen"]If he's completed his time in Prison he's supposedly served his debt to society and we should treat him as such unless he demonstrates why we shouldn't.[/quote]

"Supposedly" according to whom? As a matter of law, when he completes his time in prison he'll remain a convicted felon, and depending on what state he lives in, may forever lose his right to vote, to possess a firearm, to refrain from disclosing such criminal history on an employment application or rental application, and so on. Only a fool, or a representative of a business or charitable organization who has utterly failed to perform his or her fiduciary duties, would hire a person convicted of fraud or other malfeasance in the same line of work.

The concept that a released felon is entitled to be treated by the rest of society as having "served his debt" and to thenceforth have a clean slate going forward may be your sincere personal wish or perhaps religious belief, and is sometimes also a perspective espoused by pandering politicians courting urban voters of certain demographics, but it is not necessarily the legal reality - both for the convict, and for those in a position of trust who may contemplate hiring him.

p51 · **Posted:** Wed Nov 29, 2023 2:52 pm

I had to reacquaint myself with the case:
https://sheridanmedia.com/news/109801/wasatch-railroad-contractors-and-its-ceo-sentenced-on-wire-fraud-and-knowing-endangerment-charges/
Had the NPS not been party to this, maybe he'd never seen the inside of a jail.
Considering the people the DoJ has locked up, he was probably considered very low priority.
Now, as for how those in railroad preservation will consider him, that of course remains to be seen.
But I know people who'd work with Satan or Hitler raised from the dead if it meant their stuff got restored as they want...

RDGRAILFAN · **Posted:** Wed Nov 29, 2023 3:57 pm

In this world it is OK to give somebody a break!

Bobulltech · **Joined:** Wed Jul 26, 2017 4:24 pm **Posts:** 114

RDGRAILFAN wrote:

I ran an auto detailing shop for used cars for several years after I retired. We always had trouble with people showing up for various reasons but it was part of any business. We were not a sweat shop but did have a strong finished product out the door.
A state parole officer approached us to get his own car done. We did the job and he hit us with the fact that a number of released persons were looking for jobs....any jobs to get over the hump ...they would help us hire recently released persons. the owner and I thought it would be worth a try. We hired several persons over the years and were only burnt once! Yes we did reject quite a few but learned to look people in the face and listen.
We trained them, just like everybody else. Gave them work boots, water boots and uniforms (we had a service) a bus pass for the month. We made sure that they could have a lunch, sometimes off a food truck other times made by my wife. Most had a strong work ethic beyond a person off the street. We TRAINED them on how to, patience was required, just as it was with everybody.
I hired a person convicted of murder, listened to his story, was horrified but he spent 25 years in jail. We gave him a shot.
Today that person is now a manager for a local car dealer in their used car section. Now married with kids and a house The owner of the dealership trusts him without concern. They now hire like we do...carefully but hire.
Almost everybody who moved on from us is doing OK, not great in all cases but OK.
In this world it is OK to give somebody a break!

That's the way to do things otherwise we end up with horrible recidivism rates

wilkinsd · **Posted:** Wed Nov 29, 2023 4:31 pm

Mr. Anderson is correct. He's technically out of prison, but still in custody, at a halfway house, which the feds call a "reentry program." To couch it as "early release" is dishonest. He has to live in a group home setting and find gainful employment, part of a plan to transition him into society once his sentence is over. As a non-violent offender, this is standard practice. Even when he gets out of this program, he is under "supervised release" for three years, which means he will be monitored. Once again, fairly standard fare.

Kelly Anderson · **Posted:** Wed Nov 29, 2023 5:12 pm

RDGRAILFAN wrote:

I ran an auto detailing shop for used cars for several years after I retired. We always had trouble with people showing up for various reasons but it was part of any business. We were not a sweat shop but did have a strong finished product out the door.
A state parole officer approached us to get his own car done. We did the job and he hit us with the fact that a number of released persons were looking for jobs....any jobs to get over the hump ...they would help us hire recently released persons. the owner and I thought it would be worth a try. We hired several persons over the years and were only burnt once! Yes we did reject quite a few but learned to look people in the face and listen.
I hired a person convicted of murder, listened to his story, was horrified but he spent 25 years in jail. We gave him a shot.
Today that person is now a manager for a local car dealer in their used car section. Now married with kids and a house The owner of the dealership trusts him without concern. They now hire like we do...carefully but hire.
Almost everybody who moved on from us is doing OK, not great in all cases but OK.
In this world it is OK to give somebody a break!

Did you ever hire anyone who previously ran his own auto detailing shop and went to prison for ripping off his customers? I have no issue with John getting a job, I would just rather that it not have anything to do with steam locomotives.

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2370

co614 wrote:

Scripture teaches us that as we judge others that's the standard upon we will be judged.

Let's hope for his and his families sake that he has learned that corner cutting ends up poorly, especially when dealing with potentially lethal machines.

IMHO-Ross Rowland

Well, as a true sign of repentance he could finish work on the NPS-owned coach and return it to them completed without any additional payment, as he was already paid handsomely for it prior to declaring bankruptcy.

livesteam2-6-0 · **Joined:** Sun Nov 19, 2017 1:23 pm **Posts:** 1

I just can't under stand why the repeated post's about John Rimmasch and the redundant comments towards him continue. He has served his time and has paid for it. John as well as others and myself have to live with our actions and choices we make for the rest of our life. I have to agree with Ross's comments and that it is time to forgive and forget and move on, as for myself we are all given the opurtuinties to change and learn and move on and hopefully not make the same mistake. John Rimmasch is a great friend, I and others who are his true friends will continue to support and respect him no matter what the left throws at him.

He who is without sin cast the first stone. The only one who could didin't

Crescent-Zephyr · **Joined:** Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:15 pm **Posts:** 1615

Lol - people wanting to “forgive” literally a federal offense.

CCDW · **Joined:** Wed Jan 28, 2009 4:30 pm **Posts:** 208

I would recommend caution and not make John out to be a victim in this situation. He was found guilty, served his term but under no circumstances is he a victim.

John Rimmasch out of prison

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