A 20-year-old man from Banning has been taken into custody on allegations of child sexual abuse.
John Edward Lario faces serious charges including oral copulation and sexual penetration of a child under 10, along with lewd and lascivious acts involving a child under 14. He will appear in court on September 19 at the Banning Justice Center.
Prosecutors indicated that if convicted on the current charges, Lario could face a potential life sentence.
Lario was arrested following a referral from New Zealand’s Department of Internal Affairs, Digital Child Exploitation Team, received by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on September 2. The report stated that a connection to videos and images of child sexual abuse materials was traced back to Riverside County, as per the Riverside County District Attorney’s office.
Special agents from HSI reached out to the Riverside County Child Exploitation Team, which is under the leadership of the DA’s Office. A collaborative inquiry was subsequently initiated, leading to the apprehension of Lario.
A search warrant executed at Lario’s home revealed the identity of the supposed victim, a minor.
“This investigation is a perfect example to highlight HSI Riverside’s dedication and commitment to ensuring the well-being of children,” said HSI Riverside Assistant Special Agent in Charge Christopher Bracken. “This arrest highlights HSI’s ability to coordinate with its international and state and local partners to swiftly pursue offenders and bring them to justice.”
Lario is currently held on a $1 million bail at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning as reported by a local news outlet KESQ.