On Tuesday, December 3, 2019, in the 221st District Court with Judge Lisa Michalk presiding, defendant Craig Anderson entered a plea of guilty to two charges of Possession of Child Pornography and was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
In June 2018, Deputies from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office were alerted to possible sexual child abuse and child pornography and began an investigation into Craig Anderson, age 67, of New Caney, Texas. During the investigation, Detective O’Connor with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant for Anderson’s cell phone and conducted a forensic analysis of the contents. Contained on Anderson’s cell phone were dozens of pornographic images of pre-pubescent children. An additional search warrant into Anderson’s Google search history showed his affinity for disturbing images and videos, including those of minors. This case was a multi-agency effort to get a child predator off the streets. With the assistance of other officers from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and Montgomery County Constable’s Office Precinct Three, evidence was collected and submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to help identify the child victims, in an attempt to prevent additional victimization through the continued sharing of these images and videos.
Anderson is no stranger to the criminal justice system, as demonstrated by his felony prison sentences for Attempted Burglary of a Habitation in 1985, Burglary of a Habitation in 1988, Thefts in 1991 and 1992, and Possession of a Controlled Substance in 1998. Because of those previous convictions, Anderson faced a punishment range of 25 to 99 years or life in prison. With a plea of guilty, Anderson waives his right of appeal on the cases. Anderson will be 82 years old before he is eligible for parole, which all but guarantees that he will be in prison for the rest of his natural life, unable to ever harm or victimize another child.
Assistant District Attorney Taylor Teissier: “I am grateful to the Law Enforcement involved in this case for conducting a thorough investigation into a child predator going after the children of our community and beyond. This plea of guilty ensures that Craig Anderson will never victimize a child again. We do not tolerate anyone who abuses the innocence of our children, and Law Enforcement will continue to work tirelessly to guarantee that justice is done for our kids.”
District Attorney Brett Ligon: “I am proud of the tireless efforts of our prosecutors and the law enforcement personnel who on a daily basis protect the children in this community. Sexual exploitation of our minors will never be overlooked, and we will continue to ensure that criminals like Craig Anderson are held accountable for possessing such graphic and offensive material.”
