PEORIA, Ill. (WAND) - A Paxton man has been found guilty of enticement of a minor in federal court.
Robert Shawn Anderson, 52, was found guilty by a federal jury Wednesday after just over 90 minutes of deliberation. Evidence was presented by prosecutors to show Anderson arranged to meet a person he believed to be a 15-year-old minor for sexual activity on the MeetMe dating app.
He was arrested in 2020 over Valentine's Day weekend as part of a Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division, operation conducted in Kankakee County. The operation was done with the help of the Bradley Police Department, the Illinois Attorney General’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kankakee Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group.
Anderson is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 10, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Michael Mihm in Peoria.
Anderson remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
“This guilty verdict shows both the ongoing threat to our children and that law enforcement and prosecutors are working together to combat the threat,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Doug Quivey. “We will all collectively continue to work together to protect our children.”
“I appreciate Acting U.S. Attorney Doug Quivey’s partnership with my office, which is critical to holding accountable individuals who prey on minors,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. “This verdict underscores the importance of collaboration between state and federal law enforcement, and I look forward to our continued work to protect Illinois’ children.”
