Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Child Pornography Crime

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Dana Michael Russell, also known as “Anthony Roberts,” 37, of Griffithsville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison, to be followed by 25 years of supervised release, for possession of prepubescent child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 20, 2021, Russell possessed two images of child pornography on his cell phone depicting prepubescent minor females subjected to sexually explicit conduct. Russell admitted that one of the images depicted a known child victim.

Russell further admitted to using his cell phone on June 25, 2020, to distribute and attempt to distribute an image containing child pornography using the Snapchat social media platform. Russell also admitted to distributing images containing child pornography using multiple Snapchat and Facebook accounts in June, August and December 2020. One of the Facebook accounts that Russell used listed “Anthony Roberts” as the account username.

Russell is a registered sex offender as a result of his conviction for distribution and exhibiting of material depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct in Kanawha County Circuit Court on February 19, 2015.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-25.

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