Bail reduction denied for Cortland suspect
By CARRIE FRILLMAN cfrillman@daily-chronicle.com
SYCAMORE — A motion to reduce bail was denied Wednesday for a Cortland man who was charged in September with 13 counts of possession of child pornography.
Bail will therefore remain set at $150,000, rather than the $10,000 suggested by a court-appointed public defender who is representing the defendant, Kevin J. Hayes, 39.
Police executed a search warrant Sept. 15 at Hayes' home in the first block of George Avenue in Cortland, where they confiscated a laptop computer and several DVDs containing evidence of child pornography, according to court documents.
DeKalb County Assistant State's Attorney Victor Escarcida asked Wednesday that Circuit Judge Robbin Stuckert deny the bond reduction because of the nature of pornographic movies found in Hayes' home. A lot of evidence still needs to be reviewed, he added.
"There are at least 400,000 additional files and things on that laptop computer that need to be looked at before moving forward," Escarcida said.
Hayes was charged in September with five counts of aggravated possession of child pornography and eight counts of possession of child pornography.
The specific charges depend on the ages of the children and nature of acts featured in videos taken from Hayes’ residence, DeKalb County Sheriff Roger Scott said when the initial arrest was made.
Depictions of children who appear to be younger than 13 was a factor in the state filing aggravating charges against Hayes, he noted.
Law enforcement officials aren’t aware of any local victims in the case, they have said. Hayes' arrest was the result of a collaborative, in-depth investigation that included Internet research by detectives.
Aggravated possession of child pornography is a Class 2 felony punishable by up to seven years in prison. Possession of child pornography is a Class 3 felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
Hayes will be back in court Nov. 24.
Comments
