A Madison man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for the attempted enticement of a minor, as announced by U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
Anthony Ray Lawrence, 38, received a sentence of 120 months in prison from U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala, followed by a life term of supervised release. Lawrence was convicted by a jury in October for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. As part of his conviction, he will be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
During the trial, evidence showed that between April and May 2023, Lawrence used a social media app to communicate with someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl but was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. He admitted to using the app to meet younger girls and traveled from Madison to Homewood, Alabama on May 1, 2023, intending to engage in sexual activities with a minor. At his arrest, he had condoms and sexual lubricant and had rented a nearby hotel room.
Authorities urge anyone suspecting or aware of potential child sexual exploitation to contact law enforcement immediately. The FBI Birmingham Office can be reached at 205-326-6166 for such reports. Additionally, reports can be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children or online at www.cybertipline.org.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. This project coordinates federal, state, and local resources to locate and prosecute individuals exploiting children via the Internet while identifying and rescuing victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood is available at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI alongside the Homewood Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel S. McBrayer and R. Leann White.
