Camden County woman sentenced to more than three decades in prison for producing child pornography

BRUNSWICK, GA:  A Camden County woman has been sentenced to more than 30 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to production of sexually exploitive images of a child.

Lesley Henry, 47, of St. Marys, Ga., was sentenced to 420 months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of Production of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood scheduled a hearing for Oct. 24 to determine restitution in the case, and ordered Henry to register as a sex offender and serve 15 years of supervised release upon completion of her prison term.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“Lesley Henry and her co-defendant sentenced a child to a lifetime of devastating trauma with their horrific actions,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This prosecution will not heal that trauma, but it will protect the community from Henry for decades.”

As described in court documents and testimony, FBI agents in Milwaukee, Wis., infiltrated an online messaging group in which members shared images and videos of child sexual abuse. That investigation led FBI agents to Michael Williams Kersey, 45, of St. Marys, Ga., where agents found multiple images depicting sexual exploitation of a child on Kersey’s cell phone. Agents also identified Henry and determined she produced sexually explicit images and sent them to Kersey.  

After Henry pled guilty to two counts of Production of Child Pornography, Kersey pled guilty to Conspiracy to Engage in Sexual Exploitation of Children; three counts of Sexual Exploitation of Children; and Possession of Child Pornography. He awaits sentencing and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.

“Henry's actions are the worst of depravity and no sentence can lessen the harm she has caused. But at least she will no longer be able to pursue these egregious acts,” said FBI Savannah Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Will Clarke. “We hope this sentencing sends a strong warning to predators that the FBI will go to great lengths to protect our most vulnerable citizens from those who seek to manipulate and do them harm.”

The case was investigated by the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States of America by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tania D. Groover and Jennifer J. Kirkland.

Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.