A northern Utah man has been charged after an investigation earlier this year allegedly turned up some 2,000 images of child pornography on his personal computers, including decades-old photographs of his own daughter.
A federal grand jury last week indicted 76-year-old Hugh Huggins, a resident of Eden, with one count of receipt of child pornography and three counts of possession of the illicit material.
At a Thursday hearing, prosecutors urged U.S. Magistrate Brooke Wells to keep Huggins jailed pending resolution of the case.
"Mr. Huggins has been abusing children, (and) other people, going on 60 years," Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Christiansen said. "And I don't believe he is in any position at this point to stop the behavior."
Huggins took exception to the comments, shaking his head "no" throughout the hourlong hearing. Defense attorney John Caine maintained that the only evidence to warrant Huggins' continued detention are allegations dating back some 50 years, alleged behavior that was never reported to police.
Trial in the case is scheduled for early January 2005. If convicted, Huggins would face a five-year mandatory-minimum sentence, and a maximum of 20 years, on the charge of receipt of child pornography. Each possession charge carries a maximum 10-year sentence.
E-mail: awelling@desnews.com