Kennel
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — After the defense requested a preliminary hearing within 10-days for a 45-year-old Hutchinson area man charged with sexual exploitation of a child, we now know when that hearing may be held.
Douglas A. Kennel was arrested back on Jan. 27 following an investigation that began when the suspect had taken an old phone to have data transferred to a new phone. The worker transferring the data saw images that he thought to be child porn.
After Magistrate Judge Cheryl Allen agreed to increase the bond to $250,000, Defense Attorney Ben Fisher then stated in court that they wanted the preliminary hearing within 10-days according to state statute. Judge Allen has scheduled that hearing for Thursday afternoon.
Hutchinson Police Detective Scott Carlton had told us that after the investigation that they found over 4,000 images on Kennel’s phone SD card, which they believed were downloaded from a file sharing site.
Because he has prior convictions at both the state and federal level, the state contends that Kennel would be looking at a life sentence with no chance of parole if he’s convicted.
Assuming the hearing actually goes on Thursday, we’ll be there to cover it and let you know what happens in court.