Sexual predator sentenced to 30 years in prison

A 29-year-old Desoto County man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for filming his sexual assault on at least two minors.

U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced Joshua Chasestefan Anderson of Desoto, who, according to court documents, recorded and saved the videos on his cell phone. The videos were discovered by Detective William Boliek of the Southaven Police Department while investigating a separate sexual assault.

A distinctive physical feature on Anderson’s left hand allowed him to be identified as the perpetrator. He was accused of sexual exploitation of minors and had previously pleaded guilty to those charges.

Additionally, Anderson will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release and will be on lifetime supervision.

“After choosing to victimize innocent children for his own twisted sexual gratification, this defendant deserves every day of the 30-year sentence imposed in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “I greatly appreciate the efforts of AUSA Parker King and Detective Boliek, and removing this individual from free society is an important step toward making our county a safer place.”

“Thanks to the outstanding work done in this investigation and as part of this prosecution, today’s conviction has removed a sexual predator from the streets of our community,” said Southaven Police Chief Brent Vickers. “While we cannot undo the harm done to these victims, the Southaven Police Department will leave no stone unturned when it comes to investigating and holding accountable sex offenders who choose to victimize minors and innocent citizens.”

The case was investigated by the Southaven Police Department.

According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi, Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker S. King prosecuted the case as part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children online, and to identify and rescue victims. The goal of Project Safe Childhood is to reduce the incidence of child sexual exploitation.