Piedmont man pleads guilty to sexually exploiting a child

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - A 46-year-old Piedmont man pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a minor in federal court on Tuesday, November 7 in Cape Girardeau.

According to federal prosecutors, Tony R. Waites admitted to making recordings of his sex acts with minors and pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor.

Waites is scheduled to be sentenced on February 6, 2024. He faces a minimum of 15 years to a maximum of 30 years in prison.

Federal prosecutors said an 11-year-old boy reported that Waites had sexually abused him on several occasions in March of 2022 and the victim believed that Waites had filmed the abuse.

Investigators searched Waites home and reported finding electronic devices containing videos of Waites abusing the victim and that there were other videos showing nine other boys. They reported some of these other boys were abused by Waites and others were filmed naked.

The Wayne County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Koester is prosecuting the case.

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