Eldon Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation

A 37-year old man from Eldon, MO recently pleaded guilty in federal court to traveling to North Carolina on five occasions to engage in illicit sexual activity with a child victim over a two-year period.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says that James Anthony Guthrie, III pleaded guilty to one count of Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor.

Guthrie reportedly admitted that he traveled to North Carolina on five occasions for work and, while there, met the 15-year-old child victim at various hotels for sex. Additionally, Guthrie admitted that he picked up the victim from school or at her house; once, the victim’s father brought her to the hotel.

Guthrie also admitted that he communicated about sexual matters with the victim and received pornographic images and videos from her. The attorney's office says that Guthrie bought the victim clothes, food, and paid her cell phone bill.

Investigators examined Guthrie’s laptop, hard drive and DVD-R disks, which contained images of child pornography.

Under federal statutes, Guthrie is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.