Former tanning salon owner sentenced for taping clients

BENTON, Mo. -- A former Malden, Mo., tanning salon owner was sentenced this week on charges that he secretly taped women at his salon.

According to Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Stephen P. Sokoloff, Joseph Layland Jr., 37, entered guilty pleas on Monday in Scott County Circuit Court before Judge David Dolan on two counts of possession of child pornography and one count of felony invasion of privacy. He was sentenced to 10 years on each of the pornography charges and four years on the invasion of privacy charge. The sentences will be served consecutively.

Layland's charges stem from a February 2011 incident in which he was reportedly caught filming female patrons of his tanning salon in Malden. A search of the business revealed over 12 hours of similar taping.

Authorities also located several hundred DVDs of child pornography that had been downloaded from the Internet.

"This defendant caused much stress, pain, and embarrassment to the women who patronized his tanning business, and worry that they were observed by him. I hope they can take some comfort in his sentence," Sokoloff said, adding, "No evidence was found that Layland had posted or otherwise shared the videos that he created. That may also provide some relief."

Pertinent address:

Malden, MO