Parkville Man Gets 10 Years for Filming Girls with ‘X-Ray Lens’

Ruben Uy Lim, 53, of Parkville, Maryland, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison Wednesday for receipt of child pornography, following a disturbing investigation that uncovered his secret use of an illegal camera filter to film underage girls at swim meets across the country. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III handed down the sentence, which includes 20 years of supervised release and mandatory sex offender registration under SORNA.

According to court documents, on November 17, 2015, Baltimore County Police executed a search warrant at Lim’s home, seizing multiple electronic devices. A forensic review of one hard drive revealed graphic images and videos of prepubescent girls engaged in sexual acts, downloaded via the internet. But the deeper the investigators dug, the more sinister the case became.

Authorities recovered six video cameras and numerous computer discs containing hundreds of homemade videos dating back to 2004—filmed at public swim meets, beaches, and water parks. Lim used a special filter attached to his camera lens that allowed it to see through fabric, including swimwear. He admitted to targeting middle and high school-aged girls, focusing recordings on their breasts and vaginal areas. He referred to the device as the ‘X-Ray lens.’

Limited not by geography, Lim confessed he traveled across the country specifically to attend youth swim meets for the sole purpose of capturing illicit footage. In most of the videos, the pubic regions of unsuspecting young girls were the primary focus. The videos were stored and cataloged—evidence of a pattern that spanned over a decade.

The case was prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood, the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, the program coordinates federal, state, and local efforts to dismantle networks of child predators and rescue victims.

U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the collaborative takedown, commending HSI Baltimore, the FBI, Baltimore County Police Department, and State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger’s office for their relentless work. The federal case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Perry, who ensured Lim faced the full weight of the law. Upon release, Lim will be monitored for two decades and required to register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or studies.