Man gets 53 years for child sex crimes

A man was sentenced to 53 years on Monday for sexual exploitation of a minor north of Columbia and first degree statutory sodomy. Gary D. Foster, 53, of Linneus pleaded guilty to both counts in November.

Foster was arrested in June for taking sexually explicit photos of a 13-year-old boy. The Boone County and Kirksville Regional Cyber Crime Task Forces say the photos showed Foster and the boy engaging in sexual conduct near Finger Lakes State Park.

The boy told detectives the photos were taken in the spring of 2012.