Anthony Girard, age 40, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced on Mar. 19 to 97 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to receiving child pornography. Girard entered his plea on November 12, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement and the courts to address crimes involving the exploitation of children online.
According to evidence presented at the plea and sentencing hearings, Girard received and possessed child pornography between September 2023 and January 13, 2025. He admitted using file sharing services to exchange more than 24,000 files over two years. Investigators from across Iowa traced thousands of files of child pornography to Girard’s IP address during this period. On January 13, 2025, agents searched his home and electronic devices; Girard later admitted deleting file sharing applications from his phone while driving home as officers conducted the search. The materials included depictions of infants and toddlers as well as sadistic and masochistic conduct. Girard also has a prior conviction in South Dakota state court for sexual contact without consent.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand imposed a sentence of 97 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. In addition to prison time, Girard was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to victims and $1,100 in fines and assessments. He remains in custody pending transfer to a federal facility.
This prosecution was part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse through coordinated efforts among federal, state, and local agencies. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The investigation involved the Sioux City Police Department and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit prosecuted the case.
