Source: U.S. Department of Justice (justice.gov)

Anthaney O’Connor, 32, was sentenced on June 3, 2026 to 5.8 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography. Court records show that on Aug. 13, 2024 O’Connor contacted law enforcement about an active‑duty airman’s sexual interest in minors and provided two images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) that the airman, Caleb French, had sent him; text messages between O’Connor and French discussing viewing CSAM together were also submitted to investigators. A full search of O’Connor’s cellphone revealed messages in which he claimed he could create virtual reality point‑of‑view (POV) CSAM using images French had taken, and investigators recovered additional CSAM on the device, including six AI/cartoon drawings depicting children.

A Dec. 19, 2024 search of O’Connor’s residence yielded another 20 images of CSAM from multiple digital devices; in total, prosecutors say O’Connor possessed 32 images and three videos, some AI‑generated or depicting prepubescent children. Indicted Jan. 21, 2025 on counts of distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography, O’Connor pleaded guilty on July 31, 2025 to receipt. The Court imposed a custodial term of 5.8 years followed by 20 years of supervised release and a $35,000 special assessment, citing his significant criminal history and the consumer‑driven nature of the CSAM market. Statements from Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva, U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman, and the FBI noted the involvement of sophisticated AI tools and the case was prosecuted by the District of Alaska AUSA Mac Caille Petersson and DOJ CEOS Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower, with investigation by the FBI Anchorage Field Office and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations; the matter was handled as part of Project Safe Childhood.