Mark Anthony Davis, Child Pornography, Missouri 2023

A Missouri man has been sentenced to 80 years in prison for recording the rape of a young girl and an infant. Mark Anthony Davis, 36, of Clark County, Missouri, pleaded guilty in May to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

According to court documents, Davis recorded his rape of the girl when she was under 10 years of age and an 11-month-old boy. He also admitted to possessing videos containing child pornography, including the rape and torture of children.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Drake described the case as 'one of the worst we've ever seen.' Davis' behavior, Drake said, 'deserves the most serious sentence possible.'

The sentence of 30 years each on the production of child pornography charges and 20 years on the possession charge, run consecutively, was the maximum possible prison sentence.

This case was investigated by the Clark County Sheriff's Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Kirksville Police Department, the Henry County (Iowa) Sheriff's Office, the FBI, and Donya Jackson, an investigator with the U.S. Attorney's office at the time. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Drake and Robert Livergood prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

The case highlights the need for increased awareness and action to prevent child sexual exploitation and abuse. It is essential that law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and the community work together to identify and prosecute individuals who commit these heinous crimes.

Mandatory Facts:

• Defendant: Mark Anthony Davis
• Criminal Charges: Two counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography
• City and State: St. Louis, Missouri
• Exact Date: May 2023 (sentencing date)
• Sentence: 80 years in prison

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmo/pr/missouri-man-sentenced-80-years-prison-recording-rape-children