Banning Man Accused Of Using Boy To Make Child Porn Due In Court

BANNING, CA — A 20-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting a young boy and distributing videos of the acts via the internet is slated to be arraigned Thursday on felony charges.

John Edward Lario of Banning was arrested earlier this month following an investigation by the multi-agency Riverside County Child Exploitation Team.

Lario is charged with four counts of forced oral copulation of a minor, two counts of lewd acts on a child and one count each of using a minor to produce child pornography and child endangerment.

He's being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Smith Correctional Facility and is slated to be arraigned at the Banning Justice Center on Thursday morning.

According to the Riverside County District Attorney's Office, the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs contacted U.S. Homeland Security Investigations in early September after overseas investigators discovered online child pornography traceable to a resident of Riverside County.

HSI and RCCET coordinated in efforts to identify the party responsible for circulating the obscene matter and ultimately allegedly connected it to Lario, compiling sufficient evidence to procure a search warrant, which was served at his Charles Street home on Sept. 3, authorities said.

"That led to the identity of the alleged victim, an 8-year-old boy," according to the DA's office.

Lario was taken into custody without incident. The child is no longer in danger, according to authorities.

HSI Agent Christopher Bracken said the case demonstrates the agency's "ability to coordinate with its international and state and local partners to swiftly pursue offenders and bring them to justice."

Lario could face life in prison if convicted.

He has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.

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