COVINGTON — The Covington man charged in a federal Internet child-pornography investigation is scheduled for trial April 1.

        Charles Steers, 40, pleaded not guilty Thursdayin U.S. District Court in Covington. He is charged with three counts of the manufacture and transmission of child pornography over the Internet and one count of transporting and shipping 11 images of child pornography in interstate commerce from Kenton County to Yuba City, Calif.

        An indictment handed up Feb. 13 also seeks the forfeiture of items, including cameras, a home-built personal computer and “all visual depictions involving the use of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.”

        Mr. Steers was charged after he allegedly e-mailed pornographic photos depicting children to a woman who works with law enforcement in federal child pornography investigations. The defendant had met the middle-aged California woman in an Internet chat room known as “extreme child sex chat” and thought he was chatting with an 18-year-old girl when he asked the witness if she was “into kids and S&M,” federal authorities said in court documents.

        In e-mails and phone conversations with the witness, Mr. Steers allegedly told the woman that he had fantasies about killing children. The affidavit also said that Mr. Steers e-mailed photos to the woman that depicted a 4-year-old girl fondling him, as well as children being sexually abused and tortured.

        If convicted, Mr. Steers could face up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. He is being held in the Boone County Jail.

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