Isle au Haut man faces federal child porn charges

An Isle au Haut man previously arrested by Maine State Police on child pornography charges is now facing a federal charge of possession of child pornography.

Jon Rogers Hughes, 46, who is a former School Union 76 board member, is accused of possessing materials containing images of child pornography that were transported in interstate commerce, and were produced using materials that had been transported in foreign commerce, according to U.S. District Court documents.

On Wednesday, a scheduled detention hearing by telephone was postponed to Monday, Dec. 17 at 3 p.m., according to a U.S. District Court clerk.

The detention hearing was continued to allow for additional time to find community sources of housing and supervision for the defendant, according to court records.

Initially, Hughes was arrested Oct. 23 on the island by Maine State Police Detective Laurie Northrup and other law enforcement officers. Isle au Haut is an island, located in Penobscot Bay, seven miles south of Deer Isle-Stonington. It is part of Knox County.

Hughes was accused of possessing hundreds of pornographic images depicting children, some showing children perhaps as young as 4 years old, according to an affidavit filed in court by Northrup.

Hughes also was alleged to have videotaped a teenager, who unknowingly was being filmed via a hidden camera disguised as a radio in a private bathroom, according to court documents.

Hughes made his initial appearance in Sixth District Court on Oct. 23 on state charges of possession of sexually explicit materials and violation of privacy. Bail had been set at $7,500 cash.

Last week, those state charges were dismissed in Knox County Superior Court.

When the case was turned over to federal officers, Special Agent Martin J. Conley of the U.S. Secret Service filed the federal charge of possession of child pornography.

Since his arrest on a federal charge, Hughes has been held at Cumberland County Jail in Portland. He was still being detained there on Wednesday, according to a jail officer. No further information was available.

If he is convicted, the federal Class C felony carries a penalty of not more than 10 years imprisonment and/or not more than a $250,000 fine.

About two weeks before his initial arrest, Hughes resigned from the school board.