Evergreen Reporter

A registered sex offender from East Providence has been sentenced to a decade in federal prison for possessing child pornography. Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom announced the sentencing of Anthony Wertz, 32, who was convicted in June 2024.

U.S. District Court Senior Judge William E. Smith handed down the sentence on Friday, ordering Wertz to serve 120 months in incarceration followed by fifteen years of supervised release.

Court documents revealed that in July 2022, while Wertz was serving Rhode Island state probation related to a previous conviction for possession of child pornography, he was found with internet-accessible devices by East Providence Police. This discovery violated his probation terms and led to the finding of child sexual abuse material on a smartphone he possessed.

During this period, the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force also received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children indicating that an online account used by Wertz had uploaded similar materials.

Wertz's prior convictions include two instances by the State of Rhode Island for possession of child pornography or related offenses.

The prosecution team included Assistant United States Attorney G. Michael Seaman, supported by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John P. McAdams and Milind Shah.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, coordinating resources across federal, state, and local levels to apprehend offenders and rescue victims.

For further details about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/psc