Taney County Prosecuting Attorney, Jeffrey M. Merrell announced today that on December 18th, BILL LAWRENCE, dob: 12/04/1961, of Branson Missouri, entered a plea without an agreement to the class B felony of promoting child pornography in the first degree, and to the class D felony of possession of child pornography in front of Taney County Circuit Judge Mark Orr.  As there was no plea agreement with the Taney County Prosecutors Office, BILL LAWRENCE faces the entire range of punishment for each count. Formal sentencing in this matter is set for February 19, 2009.

During undercover operations by the Tri-Lakes Regional Internet Crimes Task Force in July of this year, a computer was indentified sharing child pornography on the Internet over popular peer-to-peer (P2P) software. The computer was tracked down and identified as operating out of a residence in Branson, Missouri on an internet account of the defendant, BILL LAWRENCE. A search warrant was obtained for BILL LAWRENCE’S residence in Branson and his computer was seized. A forensic search of his computer discovered multiple videos and images of child porngraphy.

The class B felony of promoting child pornography in the first degree has a range of punishment of five (5) to fifteen (15) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. A person has committed the offense of promoting child pornography in the first degree when knowing of its content and character, such person possesses with the intent to promote or promotes child pornography of a child less than fourteen years of age or obscene material portraying what appears to be a child less than fourteen years of age.

The class D felony of possession of child pornography has a range of punishment of one (1) day to one (1) year in the county jail, one (1) year to four (4) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections and/or a fine not to exceed $5,000. A person has committed the offense of possesion of child pornography when knowing of its content and character, such person possesses any child pornography of a minor under the age of eighteen or obscene material portraying what appears to be a minor under the age of eighteen.