Virginia Woman Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sexual Abuse of

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Summary

Anna Grace Layher received an aggregate 90-year active prison
sentence after separate federal and Virginia prosecutions uncovered
the sexual abuse and exploitation of two very young children who
were members of her family.

Federal court records state that during 2023 and 2024, Layher
produced sexually explicit videos and images involving two children,
ages six and three. She sent the material to her boyfriend, Davey
Jonathan Sisk of Culpeper, Virginia.

Layher lived in Bealeton in Fauquier County. She was 27 years old
when she received her federal sentence and 28 when she was sentenced
in state court.

The federal case was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Virginia.
Layher pleaded guilty on May 2, 2024, to two counts of sexual
exploitation of a child under 18 U.S.C. Section 2251.

On September 5, 2024, U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles
sentenced Layher to 40 years in federal prison. The court also
imposed a lifetime term of supervised release that would apply if
she completes the prison sentence.

The federal sentence did not end the criminal proceedings. Fauquier
County prosecutors pursued separate Virginia charges based on the
sexual abuse depicted in the material.

Layher pleaded guilty in Fauquier County Circuit Court on June 5,
2025, to rape of a child under 13 and object sexual penetration of
a child under 13.

Judge James P. Fisher sentenced her on September 15, 2025. On the
rape charge, the judge imposed a life sentence with all but 30 years
suspended. On the object sexual penetration charge, the judge imposed
another life sentence with all but 20 years suspended.

The two active state terms total 50 years. The court ordered them
to be served consecutively to each other and consecutively to
Layher’s 40-year federal sentence.

Layher received 40 active federal years followed by 50 active state
years, creating an aggregate sentence of 90 years.

The suspended portions of the two life sentences remain in place.
If Layher were ever released after completing the active terms, she
would be subject to lifetime supervised probation and sex-offender
registration requirements.

The state court also imposed a lifetime protective order prohibiting
Layher from contacting either victim.

Sisk was prosecuted separately in federal court. Authorities said he
communicated with Layher through Telegram and directed her to create
and send sexual abuse material involving children.

Sisk, a former correctional officer at Coffeewood Correctional
Center, pleaded guilty to federal child-exploitation and child sexual
abuse material charges. He received a separate 40-year federal prison
sentence in October 2024.

1. The Crime

Layher’s crimes involved both direct sexual abuse and the production
of visual records of that abuse.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Layher produced sexually
explicit images and videos involving two children during 2023 and
2024. Both children were members of her family.

The children were reported to be six and three years old. Their
relationship to Layher was not described more specifically in the
official federal announcement, which appropriately limited details
that could expose their identities.

Layher transmitted the resulting material to Sisk, who was her
boyfriend at the time. Federal investigators linked the pair through
their electronic communications and the child sexual abuse material
exchanged between them.

The conduct supported federal production charges because Layher
created visual depictions involving the sexual exploitation of
children.

State prosecutors separately charged the underlying physical acts
as rape of a child under 13 and object sexual penetration of a child
under 13.

The state and federal prosecutions addressed different legal aspects
of the same course of conduct. The federal case focused on producing
the images and videos. The Virginia case focused on the sexual crimes
committed against the children.

2. Crime Location

Layher was a resident of Bealeton, Virginia, an
unincorporated community in Fauquier County.

Public releases identify Fauquier County as the principal location
connected with the state criminal case.

Authorities did not publicly release the address where the abuse
occurred. That information is omitted to protect the identities,
safety and privacy of the children.

The federal prosecution was handled in the U.S. District Court for
the Eastern District of Virginia in Alexandria. The state prosecution
was handled in Fauquier County Circuit Court.

3. Date and Time of the Crime

No single date or precise time was publicly identified for the abuse.
Federal officials described the crimes as occurring during
2023 and 2024.

• During 2023 and 2024
  Layher produced sexual abuse images and videos involving two
  young children and sent them to Sisk.
• February 2024
  Layher appeared in federal court after being charged in the
  Eastern District of Virginia.
• May 2, 2024
  Layher pleaded guilty to two federal counts of sexual
  exploitation of a child.
• September 5, 2024
  She received a 40-year federal prison sentence and lifetime
  supervised release.
• June 5, 2025
  Layher pleaded guilty to the two Virginia sexual-assault charges.
• September 15, 2025
  Fauquier County Circuit Court imposed two partially suspended
  life sentences requiring 50 active state years.

4. Police Department

The state investigation was handled by the
Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation
Division.

The sheriff’s office identified Lieutenant D. Arrington as an
investigator involved in the case.

Federal investigative assistance was provided by
Homeland Security Investigations, including HSI
Washington.

The federal prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office
for the Eastern District of Virginia. The state case was prosecuted
by the Fauquier County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.

The combined investigation required authorities to preserve and
analyze electronic communications, identify the children depicted,
determine where the material was produced and coordinate proceedings
in separate court systems.

5. Suspect Name

The defendant was identified as
Anna Grace Layher.

6. Suspect Age

Layher was 27 years old when she received her
federal sentence in September 2024.

She was 28 years old when the Fauquier County
Circuit Court imposed the state sentence in September 2025.

7. Charges

Virginia law provides that sexual intercourse with a child under
13 constitutes rape regardless of whether force, threats or
intimidation are alleged.

Virginia’s object sexual penetration law likewise applies when an
offender commits the prohibited act against a child younger than 13.

The two state sentences were ordered to run consecutively, producing
a 50-year active state term.

8. Bond Amount

A publicly confirmed cash or secured bond amount was not located in
the federal or state announcements reviewed for this article.

Federal docket records show that prosecutors sought detention during
the early stages of the federal case. A detention decision should
not be converted into a guessed bond amount.

9. Conviction

Layher was convicted through guilty pleas in both federal and state
court.

She pleaded guilty on May 2, 2024, to two federal child-exploitation
counts.

She later pleaded guilty on June 5, 2025, to rape of a child under
13 and object sexual penetration of a child under 13 in Fauquier
County Circuit Court.

The state convictions were not merely additional production charges.
They established criminal responsibility for the underlying sexual
abuse committed against the children.

10. Sentence

Layher’s sentences were imposed in two separate court systems.

Federal sentence

On September 5, 2024, Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles sentenced Layher
to 40 years in federal prison.

The federal judgment also included lifetime supervised release after
imprisonment.

Virginia sentence

On September 15, 2025, Judge James P. Fisher imposed the following
state sentences:

• Life imprisonment with all but 30 years suspended for rape of a
  child under 13.
• Life imprisonment with all but 20 years suspended for object
  sexual penetration of a child under 13.
• The active 30-year and 20-year terms must be served
  consecutively.
• The 50 active state years must begin after the 40-year federal
  sentence.
• Lifetime supervised probation if Layher is ever released.
• Sex-offender registration.
• A lifetime protective order prohibiting contact with the victims.

The active portions create a total of
90 years to serve: 40 years in federal custody
followed by 50 years in Virginia custody.

The suspended portions of the life sentences remain legally in place.
They were not erased simply because the judge suspended part of each
life term.

11. Outcome

Both the federal and state cases ended in guilty pleas and lengthy
prison sentences.

Layher is subject to a 40-year federal term followed by 50 active
years in the Virginia Department of Corrections.

If she survives both active prison terms and is released, she will
remain under lifetime supervision and will be required to comply with
sex-offender registration laws.

The lifetime protective order means she may not contact either child.

Sisk was also convicted and sentenced. His separate federal sentence
totaled 40 years for child-exploitation and child sexual abuse
material offenses.

12. Victims

Victim Names

The children’s names were not publicly released and are not included
in this article.

Victim Ages

The victims were reported to be six and three years old.

The previous version of this article incorrectly listed one victim
as 12 years old.

Davey Jonathan Sisk

Davey Jonathan Sisk was Layher’s boyfriend and a former correctional
officer at Coffeewood Correctional Center.

Federal prosecutors said Sisk used Telegram to communicate with
Layher and obtain images and videos depicting child sexual abuse.

Sisk pleaded guilty to offenses involving the sexual exploitation
and attempted sexual exploitation of a child and the receipt of
child sexual abuse material.

He received a 40-year federal sentence on October 21, 2024.

Sisk’s sentence is separate from Layher’s 90-year aggregate sentence.
His punishment is not included when calculating the length of
Layher’s federal and state terms.

Why There Were Separate Federal and State Cases

The federal government and the Commonwealth of Virginia prosecuted
different offenses arising from the same general course of conduct.

Federal law addressed Layher’s production of visual material
depicting the sexual exploitation of children.

Virginia law addressed the physical sexual crimes committed against
the children.

Separate sovereigns may prosecute conduct that violates both federal
and state law. In this case, the state judge explicitly ordered the
active Virginia sentence to follow the federal sentence.

This article is based on federal court records, official law
enforcement announcements, Virginia statutes and published reporting
available as of July 30, 2026. The minor victims’ names, addresses
and identifying information have been omitted.

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