Plea deal negotiations are underway for a 19-year-old Beach Park man facing child pornography charges in a case that was initiated by information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Bernard Wewers pleaded not guilty last fall to reproduction of child pornography involving a child under the age of 13, a Class X felony that carries a potential prison sentence of six to 30 years in prison. He also was charged with child pornography, a Class 2 felony that carries a possible sentencing range of three to seven years but also can result in probation.
At a status hearing Thursday, defense attorney Thomas Briscoe simply responded “No” when Judge Daniel Shanes asked about the likelihood of a trial.
Shanes scheduled future court dates for Wewers and approved a second sex offender evaluation for the defendant, who underwent a private evaluation initiated by his defense.
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Assistant State’s Attorney George Pappas said the court’s Probation Department wanted an evaluation done by one of the evaluators it commonly uses in such cases. Wewers told Shanes he would cooperate with the evaluation
After the hearing, Briscoe said he expects the case to resolved through a plea deal, but declined to discuss details. Pappas acknowledged discussions are underway but also did not provide details.
Wewers, who was arrested last Sept. 12 by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, is free from custody after posting 10 percent of a $100,000 bond.
According to Pappas, an investigation into Wewers was initiated by the sheriff’s office after Lake County authorities were contacted by the Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
A representative of the center told local authorities that Google had contacted the center with a tip that child pornography had been uploaded by a computer traced to Wewers, according to prosecutors.
Briscoe has stressed that there are no allegations that Wewers had any contact with, or attempted to meet, underage children.
Wewers is scheduled for a status hearing May 8 and has been placed on the June 22 trial call if the case moves to trial.
Twitter @JimNewton5