ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY, Va. – A Rockbridge County man has been sentenced in connection with a child exploitation case involving a 14-year-old.
On Tuesday, May 26, Roger Wade Arter, of Fairfield, was sentenced to 40 years in prison, with 32 years suspended. He will serve eight years behind bars. After his release, Arter will be placed on supervised probation for five years and must maintain good behavior for 20 years. He is also required to register as a sex offender for life.
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The sentencing follows Arter’s guilty plea in February to several charges, including:
- One count of possession of child pornography
- Seven counts of possession of child pornography, second or subsequent offense
- Three counts of manufacture/production of child pornography
- One count of carnal knowledge of a child 13–14 years of age
The investigation began on Aug. 19, 2024, when the Office of the Sheriff for Rockbridge County and Lexington City received a complaint from a parent concerned about where their 14-year-old child was. Deputies quickly located the teen, but the circumstances led to a deeper investigation.
Authorities determined that Arter, then 19, had been involved in a sexual relationship with the minor. Investigators say he engaged in illegal sexual acts and produced and possessed explicit images and videos of the child. Arter was arrested as a result of the investigation.
“I want to thank our deputies for the work they put into this case,” Sheriff Tony McFaddin said. “These investigations are difficult, and they stayed focused and built a strong case from start to finish. What happened to this child was serious, and our deputies treated it that way from the beginning through the final outcome.”
The Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Rockbridge County and Lexington City prosecuted the case on behalf of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
McFaddin added, “Let me be clear—those who exploit children will be pursued, investigated thoroughly, and brought before the court. This case demonstrates that when a child is targeted, we will build the case and make sure the offender answers for it in court. We are not going to look the other way, and we are not going to back down from cases like this.”
This investigation is part of ongoing efforts by McFaddin and partner agencies to reduce crimes against children in the community.