Crime
Joey Foster charged with child sex crimes in Warren County
Benjamin Joseph Foster from Warren County has been charged with child sex crimes, including enticement and possession of child pornography. He was denied bond following a court hearing where evidence of his alleged actions was presented.
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VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) —
A Warren County man charged with child sex crimes was ordered held without bond Thursday following his initial court appearance.
Benjamin Joseph Foster is charged with enticement of a child to meet for sexual purposes and possession of child pornography. Judge Marcie Southerland held a probable cause hearing and ruled there was sufficient evidence for the state to proceed with the charges.
Warren County Prosecutor Chris Green represented the state, while defense attorney Jerry Campbell represented Foster.
Investigator Dusty Keyes testified about details of the investigation. Keyes said Foster received an image from a female whom Foster allegedly believed was 16 years old. According to Keyes, a forensic download of Foster’s phone revealed an image identified by investigators as child pornography, as well as deleted messages.
Keyes testified that messages recovered from the phone indicated Foster allegedly attempted to persuade the teen to travel by bus from what he believed was Florida to Jackson, Mississippi. Keyes said Foster allegedly offered to provide a hotel for her.
Lt. Stacy Rollison obtained the search warrant for the phone and verified that it belonged to Foster, according to testimony presented in court.
Campbell questioned Keyes about investigators not knowing the identity of the teen. Campbell also pointed out that Foster turned himself in to authorities.
Keyes testified that under state law, they did not have to verify the person’s actual age for the enticement charge. According to Keyes, the statute requires that Foster believed the person was younger than 18.
The state also presented information that Foster had contemplated suicide approximately a week earlier and had been held at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Testimony also indicated Foster had been in Alabama at some point before returning and turning himself in Wednesday afternoon.
Foster asked the court for bond, but Southerland declined to grant the request and ordered him held without bond.
Green said Foster faces five to 40 years in prison on each count if convicted. Green also told the court that this is not Foster’s first time being charged with a sex crime.
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