Evansville Sexual Predator Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

Evansville Sexual Predator Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

EVANSVILLE- Anthony J. Richardson, 30, of Newburgh, Indiana was sentenced to 4 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material.

According to court documents, on July 28, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Richardson’s residence, where multiple electronic devices were found containing images of child sexual abuse.  Richardson’s computer was later examined and found to contain more than 1,400 videos of child sexual abuse, as well as evidence he used his computer to search for this material. The material Richardson collected included multiple videos depicting the rapes of preschool aged children and an extremely brutal depiction of the torture and sexual abuse of a prepubescent girl. 

Also on July 28, 2020, during a recorded interview with law enforcement officers, Richardson admitted that he was sexually aroused by depictions of children being subjected to sexual abuse and had collected child sexual abuse materials for a long time.

“These abhorrent crimes will not go unpunished. Every day, pedophiles trade and view horrific depictions of child rape and sexual exploitation online,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The outstanding investigators of the Indiana ICAC Task Force work tirelessly to protect our children by identifying and arresting dangerous criminals who seek to prey on them. Serious federal sentences like the one imposed today should put potential offenders on notice: those who sexually abuse our children or trade in images of that abuse will be held accountable and sent to prison.”

“These types of cases are some of the most important to the FBI and our law enforcement partners as these images cause untold harm to the children depicted who are revictimized each time they are shared,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “This sentence shows the dedicated efforts of all who were involved in identifying and investigating the defendant to ensure he will no longer be able to exploit innocent children.”

The FBI investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the Warrick County Sheriff’s Department. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. As part of the sentence, Judge Young ordered that Richardson be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years following his release from federal prison. Richardson must also register as sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school, as required by law.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Todd Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.

In fiscal year 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted.

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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.