Bond set at $1 million for child pornography, sexual assault suspect

• Ryan Lente is accused of 23 felony sex charges including manufacturing child pornography.
• District Court Judge Daylene Marsh set Lente's bond at $1 million cash-only during a Nov. 5 hearing in Aztec District Court.
• Lente's preliminary hearing is scheduled for the morning of Nov. 14 in Aztec Magistrate Court.

FARMINGTON — Court documents reveal how a San Juan County man accused of nearly two dozen felony sex charges allegedly manufactured child pornography of a teenage girl he had unlawful sexual intercourse with.

A district judge set his bond at $1 million.

Ryan Lente, 24, is accused of 23 felony charges including nine counts of sexual exploitation, eight counts of criminal sexual penetration and six counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to court records.

Lente is accused of manufacturing four pieces of child pornography, causing or permitting a teenage girl to engage in prohibited acts knowing it would be recorded and engaging in eight counts of criminal sexual penetration with the teen, according to the arrest warrant affidavit.

Greg Sharer, Lente's attorney, did not respond to requests for comment by deadline.

PREVIOUSLY:Man accused of 23 felony sex charges could face up to 123 years in prison

Court hearing

The San Juan County District Attorney's Office filed a motion on Nov. 1 to hold Lente without bond pending trial.

The motion states Lente manufactured videos of a sexual nature with a minor and caused the teen to engage in prohibited sexual acts including criminal sexual penetration.

District Court Judge Daylene Marsh set Lente's bond at $1 million cash-only during a Nov. 5 hearing in Aztec District Court, according to San Juan County Chief Deputy District Attorney Dustin O'Brien.

Investigation

A San Juan County Sheriff's Office detective was assigned the criminal sexual penetration on Oct. 17, where a teenage girl between 13 and 18-years-old was allegedly involved in a sexual relationship with a 24-year-old man.

The parents of the teen obtained evidence of alleged child pornography being distributed between Lente and their daughter along with information that the teen would sneak away from the residence to meet up with the defendant, according to court documents.

A search warrant was executed at Lente's residence near the intersection of New Mexico Highway 170 and County Road 1800 on the afternoon of Oct. 31.

The affidavit details what happened after deputies made contact with Lente, who had a firearm in his right hand.

Deputies observed Lente's right hand was hidden behind the door and he had a gun.

A deputy pushed the door against Lente's right arm and grabbed him.

Lente was ordered to drop the gun and then a short time later, a single gunshot was heard, according to court documents.

The defendant was taken to the ground and placed into handcuffs then transported to the Sheriff's Office.

A handgun was located behind the door. A hole was found in the floor with a spent casing found lying next to the gun.

A forensic examination of Lente's phone was performed. Three videos and several photos of alleged child pornography were found on the phone.

Interviews

Both the teen and Lente were interviewed by detectives.

Lente told law enforcement he met the teen on an mobile app called Whisper in May and he initially believed she was 17-years-old, the legal age of consent in New Mexico.

The defendant admitted to having nude photos and videos of him and the teen. 

The teen told detectives she and Lente had sex eight times from the time she told the defendant she was 15-years-old to when her parents found out.

Lente's preliminary hearing is scheduled for the morning of Nov. 14 in Aztec Magistrate Court.

Joshua Kellogg covers breaking news for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4627 or via email at jkellogg@daily-times.com.

Support local journalism with a digital subscription: http://bit.ly/2I6TU0e