SALEM, Mo. — A Poplar Bluff man continues to be held on a $1 million cash bond after his recent arrest in Dent County on child pornography and sexual exploitation charges.
Marvin T. Stephens of the 1600 block of Cross Street appeared Thursday before Associate Circuit Judge Nathan Kelsaw, who formally arraigned Stephens and read the charges to him.
Stephens is charged with two Class A felonies of sexual exploitation of a minor and two Class D felony of possession of child pornography.
During that hearing, Stephens reportedly requested an attorney from the Public Defender’s Office represent him. Attorney Chad Picker later entered an appearance on Stephens’ behalf.
Kelsaw ordered Stephens to appear at 9 a.m. April 4 for a bond hearing and the setting of his preliminary hearing.
The complaint filed with the court alleges between Jan. 1, 2017, to July 30, 2017, Stephens “knowingly created child pornography of a person less than 14 years of age by taking an obscene photo” of a child.
Both sexual exploitation allegations involve the same child, who initially was 8 years old, but later turned 9.
The complaint further alleges between Jan. 1, 2017, and July 30, 2017, Stephens “knowingly possessed child pornography that was a visual depiction of a person less than 18 years of age engaged in sexually explicit conduct, consisting of a nude photo” of the same child.
The probable-cause statement filed in Stephens’ case reportedly is “under seal.”