A business owner from Lawson, Missouri, who is already a registered sex offender, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to the possession and distribution of child pornography through online channels, Your Content has learned.
Lance M. Berry, aged 36, was charged with two counts in the indictment presented by a federal grand jury in Kansas City on June 20.
Berry, the proprietor of Expressions of Love Floral & Gifts in Lawson, had a previous conviction in Ray County for deviate sexual assault, which necessitates his registration as a sex offender.
According to the federal indictment, Berry is accused of distributing child pornography over the internet on June 1, 2022, and possessing child pornography on June 17, 2022.
Law enforcement authorities arrested Berry at his business on June 17, 2022, with the assistance of Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers.
During the arrest, Berry resisted the troopers’ efforts to seize his cell phone, resulting in the use of pepper spray and the subsequent placement of handcuffs.
It is important to note that the charges outlined in the indictment are merely accusations and do not indicate guilt.
The presentation of evidence supporting the charges will be made to a federal trial jury, whose responsibility is to determine Berry’s innocence or guilt.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth W. Borgnino is handling the prosecution of this case, which was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI, according to the United States Attorney’s Office.
Project Safe Childhood
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the escalating issue of child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood coordinates federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals involved in the sexual exploitation of children, as well as identify and rescue victims. To learn more about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For information on internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the “resources” tab.