Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Craig Anthony (25, Alabama) with distribution of child sexual abuse materials. If convicted, Anthony faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison and a lifetime of supervised release.
According to court documents, beginning on May 31, 2023, Anthony distributed multiple videos depicting child sexual abuse to a filesharing account operated by an undercover Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent in Lake County, Florida. Anthony also discussed with the undercover agent his desire to travel to Florida to have sex with a minor. On August 3, 2023, HSI executed a federal search warrant at Anthony’s residence. At least one image of child sex abuse was confirmed on Anthony’s cellphone.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Originally published at https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/alabama-man-indicted-distributing-child-sexual-abuse-materials
