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Press Release

Columbia County Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Production of Child Pornography

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Oregon

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Columbia County, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for recording his repeated rape and abuse of a child over a period of five years and secretly recording a second child using a bathroom.

Anthony Wayne Dewey, 60, was sentenced to 324 months in federal prison followed by a life term of supervised release.

“Our hearts break for the children tragically abused and exploited in this and every case of child exploitation. We offer each of them this message: this experience will not define you. You are bigger and stronger than your abuser. You will grow to lead an extraordinary life of meaning and purpose,” said Scott Erik Asphaug, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

“The focus—as always—is on the victims. Although Anthony Dewey received a severe and just sentence, the potential damage done to the children by his depravity will likely well outlast his punishment,” said Kieran L. Ramsey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. “Help us protect our community's children by reporting other violent predators to your local law enforcement agency or the FBI.”

According to court documents, in August 2017, after receiving information Dewey had sexually abused a child and created photographs depicting the abuse, law enforcement executed a search warrant on his Columbia County residence. Investigators seized numerous videos showing Dewey abusing the child over a period of five years when the child was 4 to 11 years old. The abuse occurred at Dewey’s residences in Oregon and Washington State.

During the search, law enforcement also found hidden camera videos of another minor victim using a bathroom. Investigators later learned that Dewey had previously been convicted in 2009 after hiding a camera in the bathroom of his residence in Cowlitz County, Washington. No video evidence was recovered or disclosed at that time.

On February 9, 2018, Dewey was charged by criminal complaint with sexual exploitation of a child. Later, in June 2018 and November 2019, he was charged by criminal information and superseding criminal information with two counts of sexually exploiting a child. On November 7, 2019, he pleaded guilty to both charges.

U.S. Attorney Asphaug and Special Agent in Charge Ramsey made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Longview Police Department and St. Helens Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Natalie Wight prosecuted the case.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. Child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, child victims suffer re-victimization each time the image of their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s website at http://www.missingkids.org.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Updated January 25, 2022

Topic
Project Safe Childhood
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