MONROE - A Belleville man pleaded not guilty Monday to seven counts of possession of child pornography.
Michael John Owen, 48, Belleville, who faces seven Class D felony counts of possessing child pornography, appeared in court Monday for a preliminary hearing.
Owen also signed an amended $7,000 signature bond with conditions that he not have any contact with people under the age of 18, nor possess any internet-capable device.
Owen's attorney, Brian Severson, requested that Owen be permitted to own a cell phone without internet capabilities, alluding to a recent incident where Owen's previous bail conditions left him unable to contact police after an unspecified vehicular emergency, and was therefore stranded outside in cold weather.
Judge John C. Albert, filling in for an absent judge James Beer, consented on the condition that the phone be examined by law enforcement.
Owen was charged in December after several hundred images of child pornography were found on a laptop and several flash drives retrieved from Owen's residence.
Owen will next appear in court for a pre-trial conference on Feb. 21.
His maximum possible sentence is 105 years in prison.
- Michael Brestovansky
Michael John Owen, 48, Belleville, who faces seven Class D felony counts of possessing child pornography, appeared in court Monday for a preliminary hearing.
Owen also signed an amended $7,000 signature bond with conditions that he not have any contact with people under the age of 18, nor possess any internet-capable device.
Owen's attorney, Brian Severson, requested that Owen be permitted to own a cell phone without internet capabilities, alluding to a recent incident where Owen's previous bail conditions left him unable to contact police after an unspecified vehicular emergency, and was therefore stranded outside in cold weather.
Judge John C. Albert, filling in for an absent judge James Beer, consented on the condition that the phone be examined by law enforcement.
Owen was charged in December after several hundred images of child pornography were found on a laptop and several flash drives retrieved from Owen's residence.
Owen will next appear in court for a pre-trial conference on Feb. 21.
His maximum possible sentence is 105 years in prison.
- Michael Brestovansky