Missouri man sentenced to nearly 24 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting 4-year-old girl

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A southwestern Missouri man was sentenced in federal court Wednesday to nearly 24 years in prison for sexually exploiting a 4-year-old girl.

This sentence resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force; the Missouri police departments of Duneweg and Sarcoxie; and the Jasper County (Missouri) Sheriff’s Department.

Tony Lasiter, 33, of Duneweg, was sentenced to 23 years and 10 months in federal prison for one count of sexually exploiting a child. Lasiter previously pleaded guilty to the charges Sept. 4, 2014.

According to court documents, in August 2013 Lasiter used his cell phone to take nude photos of a 4-year-old girl (identified in the indictment as “Jane Doe”) while she was in the bathtub and while she was being molested. Lasiter later downloaded the photos to his laptop computer, then transferred the files to an SD card. The files were discovered when the child victim’s father noticed the SD card in the computer and opened the files.

Lasiter faces a lifetime of supervised release following his prison term. There is no parole in the federal prison system.

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 the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2014, more than 2,300 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

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. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196. 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.