A Texas man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a minor at a costume convention.
Joseph Ray Robertson, 37, pleaded guilty to transporting a minor for sexual exploitation. He brought the victim to Atlanta in 2024 for a convention where adults dress as cartoon animals, often for fetish-related purposes. While at the convention, Robertson committed acts of child molestation and sodomy against the minor, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas.
In addition to the abuse, Robertson purchased sex toys and commissioned artwork that depicted his red and white fox “fursona” engaging in sexual acts with the victim. Prosecutors stated that no one at the convention contacted authorities to protect the child.
Robertson, from Frisco, Texas, will be subject to lifetime supervision following his prison sentence. The sentence was handed down for what U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs described as "depraved" actions.
Meanwhile, attempts were made in Texas to regulate activities associated with furry culture in schools. In 2025, Texas lawmakers proposed the "Forbidden Unlawful Representation of Roleplaying in Education" (FURRIES Act), which sought to ban certain behaviors in public schools. The bill, supported by Gov. Greg Abbott, aimed to prohibit students from engaging in practices such as barking, hissing, meowing, wearing fur or tails, and using litter boxes on school grounds.
The proposal did not pass committee and therefore did not become law.