Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
Attorney General T.J. Donovan announced that Henry Lenher, 56, of Proctor, Vermont, was arrested and arraigned today on one felony count of possession of child pornography and one felony count of possession of child sex abuse material. The charges brought against Mr. Lenher are the result of a criminal investigation—including the execution of residential and online data search warrants—conducted by the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC), including personnel from the Attorney General’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Vermont State Police, and the Rutland County Sheriff’s Department.
The investigation was initiated when the VT-ICAC Task Force received a CyberTipline Report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an individual was possessing what was suspected to be images of child sexual abuse materials, commonly referred to as “child pornography,” on the Yahoo email platform. Based upon the criminal investigation of this tip, Mr. Lenher was identified as the source of the suspected content placed on the identified Yahoo email accounts.
Mr. Lenher pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in the Vermont Superior Court, Rutland Criminal Division. The Court, Judge David Fenster presiding, ordered conditions of release which restrict Mr. Lenher’s access to minors and the internet.
The VT-ICAC Task Force investigates cases of child sexual exploitation occurring over the internet, including the production and online sharing of child sexual abuse materials. The VT-ICAC Task Force also provides forensic examination services, technical assistance, law enforcement training, and public education and outreach. The Attorney General’s Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Vermont State Police, and other federal, state, county, and municipal law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies are affiliated with VT-ICAC Task Force.
The Attorney General emphasizes that individuals charged with a crime are legally presumed innocent until their guilt is proven beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.