John Lorens, a 65-year-old man from Sioux Falls, was arrested and booked into the Minnehaha County Jail for possessing and sharing child pornography.
The arrest followed a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in June 2021. Lorens is accused of possessing and sharing illegal images of children aged 6 to 16 on Facebook.
Detectives obtained a warrant to search Lorens’ home in November 2022, where further evidence was found. During questioning, Lorens admitted to being part of a group that exchanged sex videos on Facebook, including videos involving children.
At his initial court appearance, the prosecutor requested a $50,000 bond, but the judge set it at $20,000 cash only.
Lorens, originally from the Philippines, has lived in the U.S. for ten years but was described as not clear on the law regarding child pornography.