Florence Daycare Owner Faces Felony Sex Charges Involving a Minor




LANE COUNTY, Ore. – The Lane County District Attorney’s Office has filed two felony sex charges involving a minor against 42-year-old Keith William Berkner.

Berkner, who is listed as the license-exempt owner of Keith Berkner Home Daycare on winnie.com, was arrested this week by Florence Police and booked into the Lane County Jail yesterday. He faces the following charges:

According to court records, these alleged crimes took place on December 27th, 2024.

If convicted of the measure 11 charge first-degree sodomy, and being the victim is under the age of 12, Jessica's Law for Oregon (HB 3511) could apply to sentencing. This law allows a minimum 25-year sentence with no possibility of early release or good time for offenders convicted of certain sex crimes and kidnapping involving children under 12. The use of Jessica's Law is at the discretion of the judge at sentencing.

The charges against Berkner highlight the ongoing work of local law enforcement, and the DA's office, to hold individuals accountable for crimes against vulnerable members of the community, particularly children. The case is still under investigation, and more details may be released as the legal process unfolds.

Berkner's next court appearance is currently set for February 27th, 2025. As of the time of publishing this article, Berkner was in the custody of the Lane County Jail.  Court Case #: 25CR04401

Information from the Lane County Jail inmate viewer site, winnie.com, Oregon public law, and the Lane County website


Michael Weber, known for his extensive coverage of crime news in Lane County, continues to provide valuable updates to the local community. He runs the largest crime watch group in Lane County, Lane County Mugshots Uncensored, which currently has over 84,600 members. Support for local journalism is essential, and donations can be made via Venmo to @Michael-Weber-379 (last four digits of phone number: 0825).

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