Lucerne man sentenced to state prison in child pornography case that involved children in the Philippines
- Lake County News reports
- Posted On
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Lucerne man has been sentenced to state prison for possession of child pornography in a case that authorities said involved children who were identified as living in the Philippines.
On Monday, Richard Allen Berry, 63, received the prison sentence in Lake County Superior Court, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Lt. Corey Paulich said Berry also may be facing federal charges for the production of child pornography involving the children in the Philippines who were exploited in the case.
In November 2018, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit received information that Berry, who is a convicted sex offender, was possibly in possession of child pornography, Paulich said.
Paulich said sheriff’s detectives obtained search warrants for Berry’s residence as well as records related to his internet activity.
During the next several months, detectives reviewed evidence obtained from the search warrants. Paulich said several images of child pornography were located on Berry’s electronic devices.
Evidence also was discovered that showed Berry had been live video chatting with subjects in the Philippines who were commercially sexually exploiting children, Paulich reported.
Paulich said Berry was exchanging money for photographs and videos containing child pornography with the subjects in the Philippines.
On May 2, 2019, Berry was arrested pursuant to an arrest warrant that had been issued by the Lake County Superior Court related to this investigation. Paulich said Berry was booked at the Lake County Jail on charges of possession of child pornography with a prior conviction for a registrable sex offense.
Paulich said detectives believed they were able to identify a residence in the Philippines related to one of the children who were being sexually exploited.
Sheriff’s detectives requested assistance from agents with the Homeland Security in coordinating with officials from the Philippines National Police. Paulich said detectives requested attempts be made to contact, identify and check the welfare of the child who was possibly being sexually exploited.
On March 12, 2020, the Major Crimes Unit received information that an operation had been conducted in the Philippines on March 9 and 10 that resulted in the rescue of six victims related to online sexual exploitation, Paulich said.
Two of the victims rescued were a 12-year-old girl and 6-year-old boy who were related to the investigation of Berry in Lake County, according to Paulich’s report.
The investigation found other images of child pornography but detectives don’t know where those children are from, Paulich told Lake County News.
Then, on Monday, Berry was sentenced in Lake County Superior Court, Paulich said.
Paulich said late last year the Lake County Sheriff’s Office entered into a memorandum of understanding with several local, county and city organizations recognizing the need for a collaborative approach to identifying, intervening, and bringing children to safety that are being commercially sexually exploited in Lake County.
“The Lake County Sheriff’s Office will continue to work with local, state, federal and international agencies to stop these horrific crimes,” Paulich said.