Fact Check: Anthony Weiner was sentenced to prison for sending explicit messages to a minor.
What We Know
Anthony Weiner, a former U.S. Congressman, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for transferring obscene material to a minor. This sentence was handed down on September 25, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote in Manhattan federal court. Weiner had pled guilty to the charges on May 19, 2017, acknowledging that he had engaged in sexually explicit communications with a 15-year-old girl. According to the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Joon H. Kim, Weiner asked the minor to display her naked body and engage in sexually explicit behavior online, fully aware of her age (source-1, source-4).
The communications occurred over various platforms, including Skype and Snapchat, where Weiner used graphic language and sent adult pornography to the minor. The interactions began in January 2016 and continued until March 2016, during which the minor repeatedly made clear that she was underage (source-1, source-6).
Analysis
The claim that Anthony Weiner was sentenced to prison for sending explicit messages to a minor is supported by multiple credible sources, including official statements from the U.S. Attorney's office and reputable news outlets. The U.S. Department of Justice's announcement provides a detailed account of the charges, the guilty plea, and the sentencing, making it a primary source of reliable information (source-1).
News reports from organizations like NBC and HuffPost corroborate the details of the case, including the nature of the communications and the sentencing outcome. These sources are known for their journalistic standards and fact-checking processes, further enhancing their reliability (source-4, source-6).
The consistency across these sources regarding the facts of the case, including the timeline of events and the legal proceedings, supports the accuracy of the claim. There is no credible evidence contradicting the assertion that Weiner was sentenced for these specific actions.
Conclusion
Verdict: True
The claim that Anthony Weiner was sentenced to prison for sending explicit messages to a minor is true. The evidence from multiple reliable sources confirms that Weiner engaged in inappropriate communications with a 15-year-old girl and was subsequently sentenced to 21 months in prison for these actions.
