DES MOINES, Iowa — An Illinois man accused of traveling to Ottumwa and sexually abusing a minor while being a registered sex offender was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison.

According to the United States Attorney’s Office Southern District of Iowa, in 2022 while serving in the U.S. Airforce 40-year-old Anthony Alan Anderson was convicted of two counts of attempting to commit a lewd act with a person he believed to be under 16-years-old. As part of his conviction he was required to register as a sex offender.

The following year, in 2023, Anderson was communicating with a 14-year-old in Ottumwa over text and social media, and during their conversations Anderson convinced the victim to send him sexually explicit material, the attorney’s office said.

In September 2023 Anderson traveled from his residence in Illinois to Ottumwa to meet with the victim. According to the attorney’s office, Anderson picked up the victim and drove to a hotel where he sexually abused the victim.

Anderson was convicted of enticement and attempted enticement of a minor and committing an offense while a registered sex offender. On Friday he was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison. After serving his sentence he will have to serve a ten-year term of supervised release.

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