Ash Grove man draws prison term in child pornography conviction

Jul. 18--MOUNT VERNON, Mo. -- An Ash Grove man who pleaded guilty to a child pornography offense in a plea deal on child sexual abuse charges was sentenced this week to four years in prison.

Judge Jack Goodman assessed Gary L. Wertenberger, 60, the prison term at a sentencing hearing Tuesday in Lawrence County Circuit Court.

Wertenberger pleaded guilty Feb. 4 to possession of child pornography in a plea agreement dismissing four related counts sexual abuse, and limiting the sentence he would receive to no more than four years.

The defendant was charged with the offenses in February 2018 following an investigation by the Lawrence County Sheriff's Department. A probable-cause affidavit indicates that the victim was interviewed at the Childen's Center in Monett and disclosed that Wertenberger sexually abused her in November 2017.

Charges subsequently were amended to reflect alleged offenses committed with the girl on other dates in 2017 and as far back as 2015.

The affidavit states that a search warrant was executed on Wertenberger's home in February 2018 and several electric devices were seized as evidence. The document further states that the defendant admitted to investigators that he had naked photos of the girl on his cellphone that he had deleted.

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