Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General | https://www.justice.gov/
Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General | https://www.justice.gov/
U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Joshua Scott Landers, a 48-year-old resident of Bradenton, to 27 years and three months in federal prison for producing and possessing child sex abuse material. Landers was found guilty by a federal jury on August 27, 2024.
During the trial, evidence showed that Landers had installed a video camera inside a smoke detector located on the ceiling of a teenage victim's bedroom. He used this setup to record footage and then manipulated it to create photos and videos depicting sexually explicit conduct involving the victim.
The investigation into this case was conducted by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office in collaboration with the FBI. The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorneys Abigail K. King and Courtney Derry.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project brings together resources from federal, state, and local levels to find, arrest, and prosecute those who exploit children sexually while also working to identify and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
Alerts Sign-up