The Woodward News

Local News

August 1, 2012

Hearing leads to reduction in bail

Jessica Bruha Woodward News

Woodward, Okla. — A former county resident charged with possession of child pornography and violation of the computer crimes act was in Woodward County District Court for a bond hearing on Tuesday.

Originally, the case was scheduled for a preliminary hearing but that was postponed until Aug. 28 at 1 p.m.

Trent Allen McKenna was arrested in May of 2011 on the 2 felony charges and bail was set at $100,000. McKenna has been in the Woodward County Jail since that time. On Tuesday, Associate District Judge Rick Bozarth reduced the bond to $30,000, with some conditions, after the hearing.

McKenna was charged after a 16-month investigation that began when District Attorney Investigator Steve Tanio interviewed McKenna's adopted daughter, according to a court affidavit. The investigation came after allegations McKenna made sexual advances toward several minor females including the adopted daughter, who was 14 at the time, court documents show.

The interview occurred on Jan. 13, 2010 and the girl allegedly told Tanio about the images she had viewed on McKenna's laptop computer of "real girls" and of "full frontal nudity of girls between the ages of 13-16," according to the affidavit.

A search warrant was obtained on Jan. 15, 2010 and executed on Jan. 19, 2010. The warrant  allowed Tanio to retrieve any and all electronic storage devices from the home, according to the affidavit for the search warrant. At the time of the allegations, McKenna and his family lived in Fort Supply, court records show. He was living in the Oklahoma City area when charges were filed and was arrested in Tuttle.

McKenna was not charged until 16 months later because of the vast amount of images, 1.7 million, that had to be searched Tanio said in the affidavit. He said investigation of McKenna for possession of child pornography was "held in conjunction with a DHS case."

According to the affidavits, a Department of Human Services child welfare worker told Tanio that based on allegations of sexual abuse (against McKenna), DHS removed the children from the home on Jan. 19, 2010 and placed them in a shelter. The 3 boys were eventually returned to the home.

On Tuesday,  McKenna's Attorney Keith Nedwick said that 5 months before the May 2011 arrest McKenna had been living with his wife and 3 boys.

Judge Bozarth asked if there had been any allegations the boys were sexually abused and Assistant District Attorney Susan Meinders said there wasn't.

Nedwick also argued that from the start of the investigation to the eventual filing of felony charges, McKenna attended all the court hearings, an indication that he was not a flight risk.

While the state agreed to a bond reduction, Meinders asked that McKenna not be allowed to live with minors, not be allowed to have contact with any alleged victims and be restrained from using a computer.

Bozarth reduced the bond with some conditions, though not all of the ones Meinders asked for.

McKenna can live with his wife and sons if he posts bond, but cannot have access to any computers or smart phones, the judge ruled. McKenna is also not to have contact with any victims.

Bozarth also directed comments to McKenna's family at the hearing telling them they are responsible for the welfare of the boys and to keep him "on the straight and narrow.”

As of late Tuesday, McKenna had not posted bail and remained in the Woodward County Jail.

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