Lohman Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of Two Child Victims

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Lohman, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for the sexual exploitation of two child victims.

Anthony Dale Pitts-Fugate, 32, was charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo.

Today’s indictment alleges that Pitts-Fugate attempted to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity from June 1 to Dec. 31, 2022. Pitts-Fugate is also charged with one count of receiving child pornography related to an image of the same minor victim sent via SnapChat.

Pitts-Fugate is charged with three counts of attempting to produce child pornography involving a second minor victim.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Cole County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the FBI.

Project Safe Childhood

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. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."