LaPlace man says not guilty to porn charge

By VICKIE JAMBON

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – A LaPlace man recently pled not guilty to a Jefferson Parish grand jury indictment, which charged him with rape, possession of child pornography and sexual battery. The incidents involve a 6-year-old girl.

According to a spokeswoman with the District Attorney’s Office in Kenner, Richard Bartholomew, 37, of 2212 Williamsburg Drive entered the plea on Nov. 19 with Judge Joellen Grant presiding.

Martin Regan with Regan & Associates will represent Bartholomew in a Jan. 3, 2005 court case prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney David Wolf.

Bartholomew was indicted Nov. 18 by a Jefferson Parish grand jury on one count of rape, 28 counts of possession of child pornography and two counts of sexual battery.

According to Public Information Officer Capt. Steve Caraway, Bartholomew was arrested on Sept. 3 by the Kenner Police Department and booked into the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center.

Authorities responded to a call placed by the young girl’s mother.

The woman told authorities she walked into the den of her University City home located in Kenner and saw Bartholomew allegedly fondling and inappropriately photographing her daughter.

Caraway said the incident occurred Sept. 2 at 11 p.m., but the adolescent’s mother did not call authorities until the morning of Sept. 3.

Authorities originally charged Bartholomew with sexual assault and with seven counts of pornography involving a juvenile.

On Sept. 7, Kenner police executed a search warrant.

Bartholomew was rebooked Sept. 8 on new charges stemming from the search warrant.

“The search resulted in finding very sexually explicit photographs,” said Caraway.

According to Caraway, the 6-year-old girl is the only victim involved.

Bartholomew was an acquaintance of the child’s mother.