MONROE - A 34-year-old Monroe man remains free on bond for multiple charges of possessing child pornography.
Daniel E. Bliss appeared in Green County Circuit Court Monday and had a $10,000 signature bond set with conditions that he not leave Green County, have no contact with anyone under the age of 18, not be in possession of any computerized device or video or still cameras. Bliss is charged with four Class D felony counts of possession of child pornography and one Class H felony count of intentionally contributing to juvenile delinquency, stemming from an incident that occurred March 12.
Bliss' attorney Timothy Burns made a motion Feb. 10 for a competency hearing, citing that while interviewing Bliss, he did not appear to have the ability to comprehend the charges raised against him. The state will have a professional evaluate Bliss at the Green County Jail, where a space has been provided, to determine if Bliss is competent to stand trial. Bliss' competency hearing will be held at the jail because his bond bars him from traveling to Madison where competency hearings are typically held, according to Assistant District Attorney Jeff Kohl.
Court records indicate Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation agents in the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit searched a state database that reports when child pornography is uploaded to Facebook in Wisconsin. Bliss' Facebook profile came up from the search, and agents interviewed him on March 12. Bliss was aware the agents were coming to interview him as a family member had told him. Bliss consented to allowing the agents to search his cellphone and laptop. Records show a DCI agent saw Bliss was texting with a young boy via Facebook Instant Messenger just prior to the agent's arrival and found alleged pictures of a nude prepubescent girl in the messages. The agent then posed as Bliss and texted with the 17-year-old boy who messaged back that the victim allegedly in the photos was 16 years old at the time.
A few days after the interview on March 19, Bliss called the DCI agents and said he was rescinding his consent to allow his laptop and phone to be searched. The agents then sought out a warrant to seize the devices seeking further evidence of alleged child pornography. At least three videos depicting prepubescent children engaged in sex acts were located on the hard drive of the laptop, court records indicate. The search history in the web browser of the laptop also allegedly had about five instances of searches including the phrases "young," "kid," or "child sex."
If sentenced for the maximum penalty on all counts, Bliss could face up to 106 years imprisonment or $410,000 in fines or both. Each child pornography count also carries a $500 fine for each image or copy of an image allegedly depicting child pornography.
Bliss has a competency hearing set for March 31.
Daniel E. Bliss appeared in Green County Circuit Court Monday and had a $10,000 signature bond set with conditions that he not leave Green County, have no contact with anyone under the age of 18, not be in possession of any computerized device or video or still cameras. Bliss is charged with four Class D felony counts of possession of child pornography and one Class H felony count of intentionally contributing to juvenile delinquency, stemming from an incident that occurred March 12.
Bliss' attorney Timothy Burns made a motion Feb. 10 for a competency hearing, citing that while interviewing Bliss, he did not appear to have the ability to comprehend the charges raised against him. The state will have a professional evaluate Bliss at the Green County Jail, where a space has been provided, to determine if Bliss is competent to stand trial. Bliss' competency hearing will be held at the jail because his bond bars him from traveling to Madison where competency hearings are typically held, according to Assistant District Attorney Jeff Kohl.
Court records indicate Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation agents in the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit searched a state database that reports when child pornography is uploaded to Facebook in Wisconsin. Bliss' Facebook profile came up from the search, and agents interviewed him on March 12. Bliss was aware the agents were coming to interview him as a family member had told him. Bliss consented to allowing the agents to search his cellphone and laptop. Records show a DCI agent saw Bliss was texting with a young boy via Facebook Instant Messenger just prior to the agent's arrival and found alleged pictures of a nude prepubescent girl in the messages. The agent then posed as Bliss and texted with the 17-year-old boy who messaged back that the victim allegedly in the photos was 16 years old at the time.
A few days after the interview on March 19, Bliss called the DCI agents and said he was rescinding his consent to allow his laptop and phone to be searched. The agents then sought out a warrant to seize the devices seeking further evidence of alleged child pornography. At least three videos depicting prepubescent children engaged in sex acts were located on the hard drive of the laptop, court records indicate. The search history in the web browser of the laptop also allegedly had about five instances of searches including the phrases "young," "kid," or "child sex."
If sentenced for the maximum penalty on all counts, Bliss could face up to 106 years imprisonment or $410,000 in fines or both. Each child pornography count also carries a $500 fine for each image or copy of an image allegedly depicting child pornography.
Bliss has a competency hearing set for March 31.