Johnson man’s child porn trial delayed

Henry Jonathan Ritscher Henry Jonathan Ritscher

PIKEVILLE, Ky. –The trial of a Johnson County man accused of secretly videoing a 15-year-old girl while she changed clothes and bathed has been delayed to allow the defense time to review the evidence.

Henry Jonathan Ritscher
Henry Jonathan Ritscher

Henry Jonathan Ritscher, 43, of Paintsville, is facing federal charges of producing and possessing child porn. He is accused of installing hidden cameras to record the girl when she stayed at his home.

He reportedly confessed to police, saying he had been recording her for a year-and-a-half. He further told police he only used the images for his own sexual fantasies.

He was scheduled to go on trial Jan. 12, in Ashland, but last week, his attorney filed a motion asking to delay the trial and all deadlines in the case. Because of the sensitive nature of the evidence in the case, Ritscher’s attorney had to review it on a law enforcement computer, which didn’t happen until Monday.

The judge agreed to cancel the trial and scheduled a status hearing for that day instead. In the meantime, he set a deadline of Jan. 9 for Ritscher to reach a plea deal. Otherwise, he will go to trial or face entering a blind plea.