Anthony Flowers, a 59-year-old resident of Jackson, was sentenced on Apr. 23 to 78 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography, according to an announcement by D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee.
The case underscores the ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address crimes involving the exploitation and abuse of minors through digital means. The U.S. Attorney's Office advances community safety through law enforcement and outreach initiatives according to its official website.
An internal auditor at Gerdau Long Steel North America discovered that Flowers had downloaded large data files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) using his work computer at home and transferring them onto an external hard drive. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was notified following this discovery, leading agents to obtain a search warrant for Flowers’s residence in Jackson. During the search, Flowers admitted viewing CSAM on his work computer and transferring it before deleting it from the hard drive.
Investigators found that Flowers had downloaded a total of 40 images and nine videos depicting explicit conduct involving prepubescent minors, including material showing sadistic or masochistic acts as well as abuse or exploitation of infants and toddlers. After pleading guilty in November 2025, United States District Judge S. Thomas Anderson imposed a sentence that includes five years’ supervised release following imprisonment and ordered Flowers to pay a $5,000 special assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.
Dunavant said: "Let this sentence serve notice on those who use the internet and electronic means to access materials that exploit, abuse, and victimize minor children: You cannot hide, we will track you down, and you will be held accountable for such disturbing and predatory criminal conduct." The investigation involved members from the FBI as well as local law enforcement agencies.
The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee is one among 93 offices under the Department of Justice according to its official website. It handles prosecutions related to federal crimes—including cases like this—and defends civil matters on behalf of the United States according to its official website. With offices located in Memphis and Jackson serving communities across western Tennessee since its establishment in 1803 according to its official website, it remains committed as a federal prosecutorial entity focused on upholding justice throughout the region.
