A Colorado Springs man investigators believe has sexually assaulted at least 12 boys in Colorado and Florida has been arrested.
Anthony Thomas Ganter, 41, a registered sex offender, was arrested Wednesday by Colorado Springs detectives when he reported to his probation officer.
Investigators believe Ganter sexually assaulted at least 12 boys while babysitting them. Two of the alleged victims have been identified and live in the Colorado Springs area, investigators said.
Investigators have the first names of another 10 alleged victims they believe live in Colorado Springs and two Florida cities, said Sgt. Billy Dehart, commander of the Colorado Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and a sergeant with the Colorado Springs Police Department
Dehart said Colorado Springs authorities have asked Florida law enforcement authorities for assistance. He declined to name the Florida cities.
Colorado Springs police spokesman Sgt. Steve Noblitt, said the Internet crimes unit received 16 tips in August from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding the distribution of child pornography.
The information showed that someone in the Colorado Springs area had uploaded thousands of images and videos of child pornography to a website.
Noblitt said investigators obtained search warrants and identified Ganter as the suspect.
Ganter was convicted of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust in 1997, accused of sexually assaulting two boys, according to Noblitt. He is also on probation for identity theft.
Noblitt said that during a search of Ganter’s home thousands of images and videos of child pornography were found on a computer. Investigators also found evidence that Ganter had distributed the child pornography.
Dehart said that Ganter, who works as a tow-truck driver, served an eight-year prison term and was released in 2008 to the Colorado Springs area.
Although Ganter is registered as a sex offender with the Colorado Spring Police Department, he had not reported his many e-mail addresses, as is required. Sex offenders are required to register their e-mail addresses so authorities can keep track of what they are doing with their e-mails, Dehart said.
Dehart said that Ganter didn’t present himself as a “professional babysitter,” but rather ingratiated himself to families in order to gain access to children. Dehart said Ganter was able to identify susceptible families and get them to trust him around their children.
Ganter was arrested at the 4th Judicial District Probation Office in Colorado Springs. Dehart said that Ganter was on probation for identity theft.
Ganter is being charged with sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust, sexual assault on a child, sexual exploitation of children and failure to register as a sex offender.
Anyone with further information about Ganter is asked to call Dehart at 719-444-7540.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
