ENTERPRISE, Ala. (WDHN) — A former policeman appeared for a plea bargain hearing in an enterprise courtroom on 14 child sexual abuse and child pornography charges.
In October 2022 then 36-year-old Tomas Arias was arrested by the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation on felony child sexual abuse and child porn charges. Due to the suspect being a police officer, the case was investigated by state agents.
Shortly after the arrest, the officer was relieved of duty when EPD learned he was a suspect in the case.
He faces six counts of sexual abuse of a child under 12, two counts of parents or guardians permitting children to engage in the production of obscene matter, and five counts of production of obscene matter containing visual depiction of a person under 17 years old involved in obscene acts.
On Tuesday, the defendant turned down a plea deal in the case. Circuit Judge Sonny Reagan then set a June eighth trial date. The judge told the defense counsel to be prepared for the case to go to trial at that time.
Due to the pandemic and court-ordered evaluations, the case has been delayed several times. Arias is currently out of jail on a total bond of $660,000 thousand dollars.