PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A Pike County man’s federal child pornography trial has been delayed until early next year, to allow him to be evaluated by a psychiatrist in anticipation of an insanity defense.

Robert Preston, 39, of Shelbiana, was originally charged with producing child pornography one year ago.
Charges of possession of child porn and cyberstalking were added later.

He is accused of coercing a minor to engage in and record sexually explicit conduct over a period of 11 months in 2016 and 2017. Later, he was accused of using Snapchat to intimidate and harass an unidentified person in 2019.

Preston sought to enter a guilty plea earlier this year, but that was stopped after his attorney expressed concerns about his mental health. An evaluation later found he is competent to stand trial, but his attorney still seeks to pursue an insanity defense.

Preston’s new trial date is Jan. 3.