Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Sarcoxie Board member pleads not guilty to child pornography charges


Sarcoxie Board of Education member John Lewis pleaded not guilty this morning in federal court in Springfield to child pornography charges.

During the 19-minute session, Lewis waived the formal reading of the grand jury indictment against him and had a motion for the judge to reconsider bond denied, meaning Lewis will remain behind bars until his trial.

The grand jury indicted Lewis Feb. 28 for receiving pornography between Jan. 3, 2007, and Dec. 5, 2012, "in Jasper County and elsewhere." The second count says that on Dec. 5, 2012, Lewis possessed the pornographic material.

The government asked that Lewis be held without bond since  "this matter involves the commission of a crime involving minor victims and the crime of possession of child pornography. Further, there is a serious risk that the defendant will flee and that the defendant’s release will present a substantial risk to the community.

"The crime alleged in the instant complaint involves circumstances that require the Court to consider a rebuttable presumption that no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the appearance of the defendant as required and the safety of other persons and the community."

The government's argument against releasing Lewis also raised the possibility that the two child pornography charges may not be the only crimes with which Lewis will be charged.

"As the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint demonstrates, the nature and circumstances of the charged offense and as yet uncharged offenses, the weight of the evidence, the defendant’s history and characteristics, and the nature and seriousness of the danger to any person or the community that would be posed by the defendant’s release, each compel the conclusion that there is no condition or combination of conditions  that will reasonably assure the appearance of the defendant as required and the safety of other persons and the community."

The affidavit can be found in the March 2 Turner Report.

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