Booking photo for Avery A. Jones. (Photo: Cache County Jail)
LOGAN — A 45-year-old Logan man has accepted a plea deal after being arrested for downloading child pornography last year. Avery A. Jones pleaded “guilty” instead of fighting the case during a jury trial.
Avery was in 1st District Court Monday afternoon for a change of plea hearing. He pleaded guilty to one count of possession of an intimate image, a class A misdemeanor.
Cache County Deputy Attorney Griffin Hazard explained how the charge was reduced from a second-degree felony because of evidence issues.
In March, the Logan City Police Department received a cyber-tip from the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Agents had traced a computer in Logan accessing child pornography through the internet. The material was not of local children.
Officers later tracked the computer IP address and served a warrant to Jones’ home. They seized several computers and electronics that were turned over to the Utah State Crime Lab.
Technicians at the lab performed forensic evaluations on the seized devices but never found any additional child pornography.
During Monday’s hearing, Hazard said their evidence showed Jones was in possession of intimate images of children. But they reduced the charge because of how the defendant received the material and his intent.
Judge Angela Fonnesbeck accepted Jones’ plea deal and scheduled sentencing for Oct. 17.
Avery remains out of jail on pretrial supervision. He could face up to 364 days in jail and a $2,500 fine.
will@cvradio.com