Judge convicts man from Lebanon, Missouri, of sexual exploitation of children

LEBANON, Missouri (Edited Press Release/KY3) – A judge has convicted a Lebanon, Missouri man in federal court of sexually exploiting children from several different countries.

John Anthony Carpenter, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 25 years in a federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Carpenter to 25 years of post-prison probation and ordered him to pay $15,000 in restitution to his victims. Carpenter will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements that may last his entire life.

On January 30, 2024, Carpenter pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children.

On April 13, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Carpenter's residence in connection with two separate child sexual exploitation investigations in Connecticut and New Jersey. Officers found Carpenter at his workplace and he turned over two cell phones to investigators.

Carpenter admitted to viewing child pornography, sending child pornography, and soliciting multiple victims. Carpenter sent Robux (the currency used on the online gaming platform Roblox) to underage females in exchange for nude photos and videos. Investigators found 36 prepaid Robux cards in Carpenter's bedroom. Carpenter told investigators that a week earlier, he had sent a 16- or 17-year-old girl a $10 Robux gift card in exchange for nude photos of her.

Carpenter stated that he used applications and websites such as Snapchat, Likee, Discord and Omegle to request and exchange child pornography.

Investigators found 956 files containing child sexual abuse material and 6,512 files containing material that exploits children or is problematic for certain age groups on Carpenter's electronic devices. Among these files were images and videos that Carpenter had requested from underage victims in Dubai, the Philippines and the United Kingdom.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Connecticut State Police, Essex County, NJ District Attorney's Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Horry County, SC Sheriff's Department, Laclede County, MO Sheriff's Department, and the Southwest Missouri Cyber ​​Crimes Task Force.

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