North Shore man may face child porn charges after Homeland Security raid

photo Larry Vance

A Chattanooga man connected to a woman facing federal child pornography charges could face charges of his own, pending the results of a federal investigation and a decision from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Court documents show that 27-year-old Larry Vance claimed in an email to have participated in incestuous sexual encounters with the woman, 24, and her 4-year-old son. Investigators also found that Vance distributed illicit photos of the boy, sent to him by the mother, to more than one email address.

Vance was a co-owner of the now-defunct Chattanooga Brew Tours company. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

The woman, an ex-girlfriend of Vance's who lived in Chattanooga until recently, was charged in a North Carolina federal court on July 10 with producing and distributing child pornography, the Charlotte Observer first reported.

Child Protective Services removed the child from the mother's custody on May 22.

Vance admitted to Department of Homeland Security investigators when they raided his North Shore home on May 16 that the woman sent him naked pictures of the 4-year-old boy because "she knew he would 'get off on them,'" the documents say.

Chattanooga police assisted in the raid and charged Vance with possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia after finding about 5.3 grams of marijuana, an affidavit says.

But he has not been charged in relation to the discoveries made in his email account or his admission to investigators about the woman sending him the pictures.

A spokesman with the Department of Homeland Security said the investigation is continuing and Vance could face charges through the U.S. Attorney's Office. A spokeswoman in U.S. Attorney Bill Killian's office could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Authorities were led to Vance and the woman through another Tennessee man, 24-year-old John Ledsinger, who was booked at the Hamilton County Jail by federal marshals on April 4.

Ledsinger faces a federal charge of distribution of child pornography in federal court in Texas. He and Vance both discussed or exchanged child pornography with another unnamed email user, the documents show.

Contact staff writer David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepres.com or 423-757-6731.

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