Convicted sex offender gets 15 years for downloading child pornography

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – An Arkansas man with a prior felony sexual abuse conviction was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison Thursday for downloading more than 100 videos containing child pornography. The sentencing follows an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Arkansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the Springdale Police Department.

Anthony Yager, 49, of Springdale, pleaded guilty in May to federal charges of receiving child pornography. In addition to the 15-year prison term issued Thursday, U.S. District Judge Jimm Larry Hendren ordered Yager to serve 25 years supervised release following the completion of his sentence and pay a $15,000 fine.

"Criminals who view and distribute child pornography further the re-victimization of innocent children who have already experienced horrific sexual abuse," said HSI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Raymond R. Parmer Jr. "These predators do severe damage to our society and HSI will continue to investigate and seek prosecution wherever these criminals may be found."

Parmer oversees a five-state region including Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee.

According to court documents, beginning in December 2012, HSI and ICAC investigators executed a search warrant at a Springdale home where investigators seized a laptop Yager admitted belonged to him. A subsequent forensic examination revealed more than 100 videos of minors engaged in sexual activity.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 10,000 individuals for crimes against children, including producing and distributing online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking children. In fiscal year 2013, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.

HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.