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Convicted Sex Abuser Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison
A 29-year-old Texas woman has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for her role in a conspiracy to sexually abuse a child in Mexico. Anika Bywater, formerly of Gonzalez, Texas, was sentenced on 2026 in federal court in Baltimore, Maryland.
Bywater, who pled guilty in December 2025 to conspiracy to engage in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places, was sentenced to 25 years in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release. The charges stemmed from an investigation that revealed Bywater and another person created videos of themselves sexually abusing a young child in the state of Veracruz, Mexico.
The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit, and the FBI’s law enforcement attaché office in Mexico City and Washington Field Office worked together to investigate and prosecute the case.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Reema Sood and Acting Deputy Chief Kyle P. Reynolds for their efforts in prosecuting the case.
Bywater’s sentence is a stark reminder of the severity of child sex abuse and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable. The case highlights the need for continued efforts to combat child exploitation and abuse, and to support victims and their families.
The Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting the community and holding perpetrators of child sex abuse accountable. For more information about the office and its resources, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit and the FBI’s law enforcement attaché office in Mexico City and Washington Field Office also provided valuable assistance in the investigation and prosecution of the case.
Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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