Carter Gets 25 Years for Exploiting PA Girl

GREAT FALLS, MT – Andrew Donovan Carter, 29, of Great Falls, Montana, will spend the next 25 years in federal prison after admitting to a sickening scheme to sexually exploit a 14-year-old girl in Pennsylvania. U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson announced the sentence today, a small measure of justice for a predator who used technology to target a vulnerable child.

Carter pleaded guilty in August to sexual exploitation of a child, a charge stemming from a year-long campaign of manipulation. Court documents reveal the case began to unravel in August 2020 when Pennsylvania law enforcement flagged Carter’s online activity to his Montana probation officer. They noticed Carter engaging in sexually explicit communications with the underage girl through social media.

The Great Falls Police Department, working with the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICACTF), quickly joined the investigation. The girl told investigators she believed she was communicating with a 16-year-old boy. In reality, it was Carter, relentlessly requesting nude photographs. She complied, sending the images via cell phone, a betrayal of trust that will undoubtedly haunt her for years to come. The depravity didn’t end there; agents discovered Carter was also communicating with another child, approximately 10 years old, in a similar manner.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris handed down the 25-year sentence, followed by 20 years of supervised release. Morris also ordered Carter to pay $6,000 in restitution to the known victims. While money can never fully compensate for the harm caused, it’s a step toward acknowledging the damage Carter inflicted.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee L. Peterson spearheaded the prosecution, with crucial investigative work provided by Homeland Security Investigations, the Montana ICAC Task Force, the Great Falls Police Department, and the Montana Department of Corrections’ Probation and Parole. This wasn’t a solo effort; it was a coordinated takedown of a digital predator.

The case falls under the umbrella of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood, launched in 2006 to combat the growing threat of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation of children. The initiative, fueled by partnerships between federal, state, and local agencies, aims to protect children and bring predators like Carter to justice. The ICAC Task Force Program provides vital support to local law enforcement, bolstering their ability to investigate these horrific crimes. This case serves as a grim reminder of the dangers lurking online and the importance of vigilance in protecting our children.

RELATED: Straw Gun Purchasers Indicted in Alabama

RELATED: Theresa Wood Sentenced for Passport Fraud Scheme