ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — A Hudson Valley man who is already facing a murder trial has been sentenced on sex crime charges.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton; Rockland County Sheriff, Louis Falco III; and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI, James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced that 26-year-old Anthony Mitchell, of Haverstraw, was sentenced on Tuesday to 135 months in prison for enticement and coercion of a minor spanning two years.
In addition to prison, Mitchell was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
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“Anthony Mitchell is a sexual predator,” Clayton said. “He enticed a 14-year-old victim numerous times, both in person and while incarcerated and awaiting trial on state charges for a 2022 murder. New Yorkers know how important it is that Anthony Mitchell and those like him are off the streets. This Office will use all our tools to deliver on that mission. We ask that all New Yorkers be proactive and vigilant in holding predators accountable and ensuring every child can grow up free from exploitation.”
According to court documents, between January 2021 and September 2022, Mitchell induced a 14-year-old victim to create sexually explicit photos and videos of herself and send them to him.
In July 2022, Mitchell was arrested on state murder and other charges and incarcerated at the Rockland County Jail. For several months, while incarcerated and awaiting trial, he continued to communicate with and demand sexually explicit material from the victim, which she created and sent to Mitchell.
“The Rockland County Sheriff’s Office was proud to work alongside our federal partners, including the FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office, in this investigation,” said Rockland County Sheriff Louis Falco III. “Through strong collaboration and a shared commitment to protecting our community, our collective efforts helped lead to the successful prosecution and sentencing of an individual who preyed on a child. Those who exploit the most vulnerable members of our society will be identified, investigated, and held fully accountable under the law.”
Anyone with information about the sexual exploitation of children is urged to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or use the online tips page.
“Already incarcerated, Anthony Mitchell’s depravity extended beyond the walls of his cell as he continued to seek sick satisfaction from the sexual coercion and exploitation of a young teenage girl,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “The FBI continues to stand alongside our local law enforcement partners to hold accountable sexual predators who target our communities’ children.”
Clayton praised the efforts of the FBI, the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, the Town of Haverstraw Police Department, the Town of Ramapo Police Department, and the Village of Spring Valley Police Department. He also thanked the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office for its help in the case.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ben Arad, Kathryn Wheelock, and Jeffrey C. Coffman in charge of the prosecution.
