North Texas ‘furry’ sentenced for sexually abusing minor at Georgia convention
A 37-year-old North Texas man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for transporting a minor to a furry convention in Georgia and sexually abusing the child, prosecutors said.
Joseph Ray Robertson, who is from Frisco, pleaded guilty to transportation of minors and was sentenced on Monday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas said in a news release. Judge Richard Schell also ordered that Robertson be on lifetime supervised release after he completes his prison term.
Robertson, a “furry enthusiast,” took a minor from Frisco to Atlanta for a furry convention in 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
“Furry refers to a subculture of enthusiasts of anthropomorphic (human-like) animals in which fans create animal characters with human personalities and traits,” according to the release. Robertson made an elaborate, custom-made costume for his furry persona before the convention, prosecutors said.
According to court documents, at the convention, Robertson sexually abused the child by engaging in acts considered child molestation and sodomy under Georgia state law.
Robertson also bought sexual stimulants and devices at the convention and commissioned artwork of his furry persona engaging in sexual acts with the victim, according to the release.
“This defendant’s actions were depraved and absolutely justify every day of the imposed 20-year sentence,” U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs said in the release. “Most children’s experiences with people costumed as animals comes in the context of fun encounters in theme parks. This defendant turned a furry costume into a nightmare of sexual abuse. It shocks the conscience that a child was allowed into a convention where adults were dressed up as furry animals and sex devices were being sold. Not one person in that convention contacted the authorities to protect the child. Every child deserves security, dignity, and a community that stands fiercely in their defense. Protecting children is one of our most solemn responsibilities, and we will act ferociously against anyone who threatens their safety.”
The case, investigated by the FBI and the Frisco Police Department, is a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse, according to the release.