The Attorney General's Office has reported that Luke W. Lanfear, a 44-year-old resident of Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced in Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Criminal Division. He pleaded guilty to one felony count of possession of child sexual abuse material and a violation of his probation. Judge John L. Pacht handed down a sentence of four to five years, with all but 14 months suspended, which Mr. Lanfear will serve in a correctional facility. He will also be under probation supervision for seven years.
In addition to the prison sentence, conditions were imposed on Mr. Lanfear that limit his access to electronics, the internet, and contact with minor children. Mr. Lanfear admitted to violating his probation and will continue to be monitored while on probation.
The Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC) is responsible for investigating cases involving the online exploitation of children. This includes the production and distribution of child sexual abuse materials over the internet. VT-ICAC also offers forensic examination services, technical assistance, law enforcement training, and public education outreach.
"The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) is the nation’s centralized reporting system for the online exploitation of children," according to their statement. They encourage anyone with information or suspicions about online enticement or exploitation involving children to report it through their 24-hour call center at 1-800-843-5678 or via https://report.cybertip.org.
NCMEC provides support for those recovering from child sexual exploitation by offering emotional support, helping remove content from the internet, and connecting individuals with mental health professionals. More information can be found at https://www.missingkids.org/gethelpnow/csam-resources or by calling their call center.