A Frisco man who took a child across state lines to a Georgia furry convention and sexually abused the minor has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. Joseph Ray Robertson, 37, admitted he transported the child from Frisco to Atlanta in May 2024, where he committed sexual acts with the victim during the event. U.S. District Judge Richard Schell ordered Robertson to serve 240 months behind bars, followed by lifetime supervised release.
Prosecutors' account and sentence
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas, Robertson pleaded guilty to transportation of minors and was sentenced yesterday. Prosecutors said he was a committed participant in the furry subculture and that he used that world as the setting for his crimes.
The federal release states that at the convention, Robertson bought sexual stimulants and devices, commissioned sexualized artwork that depicted his furry persona with the child, and had a custom-made costume tied to the subculture. In the press release, U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs did not mince words, calling Robertson’s behavior “depraved” and saying it “absolutely justif[ies] every day of the imposed 20-year sentence.”
Investigation and local reporting
As reported by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the case was investigated by the FBI and the Frisco Police Department, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Miller handled the prosecution. The Star-Telegram notes that prosecutors say the conduct would qualify as child molestation and sodomy under Georgia law and confirms that the trip to Atlanta took place in May 2024.
Local coverage also highlights the visual side of the case, including images and descriptions of the costume prosecutors say Robertson commissioned for his furry persona, details that investigators argued showed how carefully he built the setting for the abuse.
Broader context
Prosecutors said the case was pursued as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Justice Department initiative that coordinates federal, state, and local resources to combat child sexual exploitation. Officials say the conviction is a reminder that transporting a minor across state lines for sexual exploitation triggers federal jurisdiction and can lead to lengthy prison terms combined with lifetime supervision once a defendant is released.
Legal note
Robertson pleaded guilty to transportation of minors, a federal offense codified at 18 U.S.C. a7 2423, according to Cornell Law School. The statute allows for decades-long sentences when someone transports a minor interstate for sexual activity, and prosecutors point to the outcome in this case as an example of how seriously federal courts treat cross-state exploitation.
