Attorneys expect plea deal in child porn case against bus driver
A former Landmark Academy bus driver who was charged with possession of child pornography is expected to accept a plea deal, according to his attorney.
Defense attorney Barry Resnick said during a pretrial hearing Monday that his client, 64-year-old Robert Kessler, is undergoing psychotherapy. Though he anticipated the case ending with a plea bargain, Resnick asked for the case to be adjourned for 60 days.
Details about the investigation into Kessler have not been included in his case file, and the St. Clair County Sheriff's Office has declined to explain why Kessler came under investigation because the case involves minor victims.
Kessler's arrest in February raised concerns among parents of students at Landmark Academy in Kimball Township, prompting the charter school to hold a town hall and announce he was no longer working at the school.
Resnick said he has received a preliminary plea offer from St. Clair County Assistant Prosecutor Ashley Stone, but wanted the case to wait while Kessler completes his psychotherapy. He said details from those therapy sessions may be relevant to forming the plea deal.
Both Stone and Circuit Court Judge Daniel Damman agreed a delay was appropriate, but thought 60 days would be excessive. Damman instead delayed the hearing to June 10.
Kessler has been charged with one count of possession of child sexually abusive material, punishable with up to four years in prison; two counts of accosting children for immoral purposes, up to four years for each count; two counts of distributing obscene material to minors, up to two years each; two counts of using a computer to use a crime, up to seven years for one count, up to four years for the second; and contributing to child delinquency, a misdemeanor.
Contact Johnathan Hogan at jhogan@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Attorneys expect plea deal in child porn case against bus driver
