The attorney representing a former youth minister charged with multiple counts related to child pornography told a judge Tuesday he needs time to examine the evidence against his client.
Ephraim Helton asked Boyle Circuit Judge Darren Peckler to reschedule a status hearing for Jonathan David Hall, the former youth leader at Southland Christian Church’s Danville campus who is charged with 45 counts that allege he exchanged sexually explicit material with minor girls via his cell phone and other devices.
Helton said due to the sensitive nature of the material — alleged nude photographs of young girls — he is being required to review the evidence at the office of Commonwealth’s Attorney Richie Bottoms instead of receiving copies of the material. Peckler agreed to reset the hearing for March.
Hall, 29, of 626 Denmark Drive, was indicted in November on 37 felony counts of possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor; four felony counts of unlawful use of electronic means to induce a minor to engage in a sexual activity; and four misdemeanor counts of distribution of obscene matter to minors.
Hall was arrested in September after Kentucky State Police executed a search warrant at his home. The warrant was the result of an undercover investigation by KSP’s Internet Crimes Against Children Division.
KSP received information from Lexington police after the mother of a 15-year-old-girl discovered inappropriate text messages and emails sent to her daughter from an unknown person.
The girl told detectives she began communicating with a man claiming to be an 18-year-old University of Kentucky student.
The girl said their conversations via email and text messaging quickly became sexual. She sent the man multiple nude photos of herself at his request, and he sent her a nude photo as well, police said.
During the search of Hall’s residence in Danville, police said they found other nude photos of what appeared to be juvenile females from at least three other states.
According to the indictment, the alleged incidents occurred between Jan. 22 and March 14.
Hall was released from jail after posting a $40,000 bond.
Ephraim Helton asked Boyle Circuit Judge Darren Peckler to reschedule a status hearing for Jonathan David Hall, the former youth leader at Southland Christian Church’s Danville campus who is charged with 45 counts that allege he exchanged sexually explicit material with minor girls via his cell phone and other devices.
Helton said due to the sensitive nature of the material — alleged nude photographs of young girls — he is being required to review the evidence at the office of Commonwealth’s Attorney Richie Bottoms instead of receiving copies of the material. Peckler agreed to reset the hearing for March.
Hall, 29, of 626 Denmark Drive, was indicted in November on 37 felony counts of possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor; four felony counts of unlawful use of electronic means to induce a minor to engage in a sexual activity; and four misdemeanor counts of distribution of obscene matter to minors.
Hall was arrested in September after Kentucky State Police executed a search warrant at his home. The warrant was the result of an undercover investigation by KSP’s Internet Crimes Against Children Division.
KSP received information from Lexington police after the mother of a 15-year-old-girl discovered inappropriate text messages and emails sent to her daughter from an unknown person.
The girl told detectives she began communicating with a man claiming to be an 18-year-old University of Kentucky student.
The girl said their conversations via email and text messaging quickly became sexual. She sent the man multiple nude photos of herself at his request, and he sent her a nude photo as well, police said.
During the search of Hall’s residence in Danville, police said they found other nude photos of what appeared to be juvenile females from at least three other states.
According to the indictment, the alleged incidents occurred between Jan. 22 and March 14.
Hall was released from jail after posting a $40,000 bond.
