Jury trial set for Branson magicians accused of child exploitation

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Branson magicians Garry and Janine Carson will go to trial over a federal indictment accusing them of sexual exploitation of children.

The jury trial is set for August 10, 2026, in the Western District Court of Missouri. 

In January, Garry and Janine Carson were charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor. They have pleaded not guilty.

The federal indictment alleges that both magicians coerced a minor to perform sexually explicit acts for photos and videos between January 2023 and June 2025. According to court documents, the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force seized multiple devices in June 2025 and found about 46 videos featuring an identified minor.

The full article is available at ozarksfirst.com.

(Story by Drew Tasset, ozarksfirst.com)