Jason Mann

Former Students’ Association senator William Reed was indicted on nine federal counts of receiving and distributing child pornography.

Reed, a former communications studies major at SDSU, pleaded not guilty Jan. 17 to all counts. He is accused of either sending or receiving illegal material on eight separate dates between April 2006 and July 2007. According to court documents, Magistrate Judge John Simko would not release Reed from custody because he said Reed was a flight risk and a danger to the community. The SDSU Police Department arrested Reed, and his personal computer was seized for evidence. UPD was not able to comment further because the investigation was conducted by federal agencies.

Kyle Jameson, a junior advertising major, was a friend of Reed’s. For legal reasons, Jameson was not able to share specific details about the case with The Collegian but said that what he has learned leads him to believe Reed is innocent.

“He was a victim of a lack of legal knowledge,” he said.

Jameson said he believes that the only reason Reed was labeled a flight risk is because Reed’s parents live out of state. Reed has listed Hutchinson, Kan., as his permanent address with SDSU. Jameson visited Reed in the Minnehaha County Jail and says he is in good spirits. Jameson said he wants to remind everyone to remember that people are innocent until proven guilty, not the other way around.

The SDSU registrar’s office confirmed Reed was not enrolled in classes for the spring 2008 semester, and because he is no longer a student at SDSU, Reed’s seat on SA is vacant. SA President Alex Brown said that normally in this situation, Reed’s position would have been filled with an at-large election, but appointing a new senator would take several weeks, leaving the new senator a short period of time in office before elections were held in February.

If convicted on all nine counts, Reed would serve at least 45 years in prison. Each count carries a minimum punishment of five years in prison. According to press reports, Reed’s trial has been scheduled for March 18 in United States District Court.

Reed was heavily involved in student activities at SDSU, including working as a New Student Orientation Leader and at Outback Jacks.