Franklin man accused of possessing images of child sex abuse

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A Franklin man is accused in federal court of multiple charges involving imagery depicting acts of child sexual abuse.

Barret Lawrence, 37, is charged in a federal criminal complaint with attempted receipt of child pornography, accessing with intent to view child pornography, receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

Federal investigators said they found, in Barret’s possession, a digital storage card with images of adult men engaging in forcible sex acts with little girls ranging in age from approximately two years old to 12, according to federal court records.

One of the images shows a nude child who is between the ages of three and six with a cloth covering her eyes and a caption that reads in part, “here is a defenseless little child, ready for torture…,” court records show.

Lawrence is a Kentucky sex offender convicted in Warren County for first-degree attempted rape of a three-year-old child, according to federal court records. A judgement was entered in that case in September 2000.

A hearing in Barret’s federal case was held May 15. Monday, United States Magistrate Judge Brent Brennenstuhl, ordered Lawrence be held pending trial.

“It is the finding of this court that there are no conditions or combination of conditions to assure the safety of the community,” Brennenstuhl wrote in his order.

Lawrence is being held in the Warren County Regional Jail.