Texas Sex Offender in Federal Prison for Trafficking Children Across State Lines for Prostitution

TYLER — An East Texas registered sex offender was sentenced Sept. 22 to 23 years in federal prison for child exploitation violations, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bale, Eastern District of Texas.

This case was investigated by the following agencies:  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Louisiana State Police; Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office; Shreveport (Louisiana) Police Department, Longview (Texas) Police Department; Smith County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office; Tyler Police Department; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Smith County District Attorney’s Office.

Anthony Nelson, 33, from Tyler, pleaded guilty Nov. 10, 2014 to transporting minors and was sentenced Sept. 22 to 276 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider.

According to information presented in court, in November and December 2013, Nelson was assisted by others in transporting individuals, including two minors, across state lines to have them engage in prostitution. During the investigation it was also revealed that Nelson was a registered sex offender having served eight years in the Texas Department of Corrections for the 2001 aggravated sexual assault of a minor in Smith County, Texas. Nelson was indicted by a federal grand jury March 26, 2014, and charged with child exploitation violations.

“Anthony Nelson is on his way to prison where he will serve a very long sentence of imprisonment,” said U.S. Attorney Bales. “He deserves every day of that lengthy term and I hope that every day he is consumed with guilt and self-recrimination. There is no more important work for the U.S. Attorney’s office than to protect and come to the aid of those who cannot protect themselves. Nelson and his ilk will always be squarely in our sights and for that reason, I commend the work of the prosecution team for putting a stop to Nelson and his outrageous conduct.”

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld, Eastern District of Texas.

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 12,000 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 2,000 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.