Anthony P. Kroeger - Child Abuse & Porn NY-IL
Child porn suspect sought Court officials say Steuben man missed hearing, may be in Chicago. October 17, 2007 By Larry Wilson lwilson@stargazette.com Star-Gazette Corning Bureau BATH -- A Prattsburgh man charged with felony child abuse and production of child pornography failed to appear in Steuben County Court for a hearing Tuesday. Court officials believe Anthony P. Kroeger, 47, of Hotchkiss Road, is being held by authorities in Chicago on unrelated charges, said Brooks Baker, an assistant district attorney. Judge Joseph Latham issued a warrant for Kroeger's arrest and revoked the $25,000 cash bail the defendant had posted, Baker said. "There are a lot of people upset with him today -- people who loaned him money for bail," Baker said. Baker said the Steuben County Sheriff's Department is investigating the report that Kroeger is being detained in Chicago. If it is true, he won't be charged with failure to appear in court and the bail money will be refunded to those who posted it. "If it's a scam," Baker said, "the bail money will be forfeited." Kroeger faces 20 charges -- most of them felonies -- of sexually abusing a child and producing images of the child engaged in sexual activity. If convicted on all counts, he could face 33 to 165 years in prison. District Attorney John C. Tunney described the victim as a young teenager, about 13 or 14 years old. The defendant was expected in court Tuesday for a Huntley hearing -- a procedure to determine whether any statements he made to police will be admissible at trial. Baker said the court received a call from Chicago authorities reporting that Kroeger was in their custody. The prosecutor said he does not know whether it will be necessary to extradite Kroeger from Illinois. "He will have to be extradited if he doesn't agree to come back," Baker said. "But we don't know yet if that will be an issue." Kevin Kelly, the assistant public defender who represents Kroeger, declined to comment because he has not spoken to his client. Kroeger was indicted in June on 11 counts of using a child in a sexual performance; two counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child; four counts of third-degree sexual abuse; two counts of performing a criminal sex act involving a child; and one count of fourth-degree grand larceny. Tunney said the sexual abuse and child pornography charges resulted from an investigation in the fall of 2006 of a larceny allegation against Kroeger. http://www.stargazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071017/NEWS01/710170328/1001/NLETTER01