Brian Peppers (born November 1, 1968) is a resident of Whitehouse, Ohio (a suburb of Toledo), who became the subject of an Internet meme that originated in 2005 concerning the circulation of his photograph, obtained from the Ohio Electronic Sex Offenders Registry .

The appearance of the photograph led many viewers to suggest that it was faked. Snopes investigated the case and determined it was most likely true. They also found high school yearbook photos of Peppers. The Ohio Attorney General's office told them "This is an accurate photo of this offender."

Snopes suggests that Peppers' unusual appearance may be due to malformation of the cranium caused by a branchial arch condition such as Apert syndrome or Crouzon syndrome.

Crimes

Peppers was sentenced to 30 days in jail with 5 years probation thereafter in 1998 for the crime of "Gross Sexual Imposition" . Gross Sexual Imposition is defined as unwilling sexual contact with one who is not one's spouse.

Internet meme

It originated from the Internet forum. It is known that his image was entered on Hot or Not.

The image was later parodied several times on the web site YTMND and is regularly referenced on Fark.

The operators of the Ohio eSORN do not appreciate the publicity their system is getting by being exploited for pictures of Peppers, and they are considering shutting down the service.

Recently, a backlash on YTMND towards the YTMND sites proclaiming Peppers in a negative light has taken place due to a certain YTMND on the site, The Actual Truth about Brian Peppers, prompting many users of the site to feel remorse about the fun they had had poking fun at him. A YTMND apparently created by his brother, Letter About Brian Peppers, has also been posted, the text of which reads as follows:

: My Name is Allen Peppers, and I am a relative of Brian. I have been inspired by Grimaf's creation and have decided to present the whole story as a means to clear up any debate, and hopefully to quell the raging negative enthusiasm about Brian. As you may know, Brian suffers from Apert's Syndrome, a condition which, among other things, causes the plates in his skull to fuse together in an irregular fashion. I believe that his appearance had much to do with the reaction to his alleged crime.

: Brian is absolutely NOT a pedophile. He was given five years probation for allegedly groping his nurse. Brian is a paraplegic who spends his life in nursing homes. He is not mentally retarded, and is, in fact, quite intelligent. I play chess with him every week. Grimaf was correct to spot that Brian uses a wheelchair. He is only capable of slow, painful walking, and tends to hobble on the sides of his feet, but this is not due to a birth defect. Brian suffers from congestive heart failure due to his abuse of alcohol. Subsequently, blood clots have formed in his extremities making it nearly impossible to perform any task that requires even the smallest amount of dexterity. He has marginal use of his hands, enough to eat, play chess, read books, etc.

: The photograph of him, which many of you so famously parade around the internet, was taken at the Ohio registrar's office at 7:30 in the morning. Brian cannot groom himself properly. The repetitive motions of combing his hair, brushing his teeth, and shaving are simply too much for him. These are tasks that I must perform for him, and thus we see a man who is disheveled and crude-looking, drawing even further accusations.

: Brian's appearance has been his downfall. The nurse who filed suit against him was acting out of fear. Brian told me (and I truly believe him) that he was merely trying to get her attention. He grabbed and tore the back of her skirt; she fled and called the police. Brian is lacking in some fundamental social skills, but that comes from a life of being teased and tormented, not from any mental condition. Prior to his accusation, Brian was a model citizen. He held a steady job as a librarian's assistant and even helped me raise my own children, but since his appearance in court his health has declined rapidly. He is very sick, but thankfully no longer uses alcohol.

: Brian is the epitome of the misunderstood outlaw. A true-to-life Quasimodo of sorts, whose only desire is to be treated with the respect he deserves. Brian is a human being.

: Please, please, leave my brother alone.

: Sincerely,
: Allen Peppers

References

Entry on eSORN, the Ohio Electronic Sex Offenders Registry

Clerk of Court's Docket

Legal definition of Gross Sexual Imposition

Entry on Hot or Not

External links

News story regarding spread of Brian Peppers' photograph

The very first Brian Peppers YTMND - March 28th, 2005