Ex-Kennesaw State Instructor Pleads Not Guilty to Child Porn Charges

A former instructor and Wisconsin church official pleaded not guilty to three counts of child pornography possession Friday in a Wisconsin court,

Joel Hochmuth, 52, of Waukesha, Wi. and accused of possessing computer images of young boys engaged in sex acts. Authorities believe the boys in the pictures are between the ages of 10 to 14, reported Waukesha Patch. 

Hochmuth admitted to struggling with an addiction to child porn, according to the criminal complaint.

Investigators found hundreds of images on his home computer, as well as 310 photographs and 38 videos on a thumb drive recovered from his church office, reported the Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel.

Hochmuth was fired from his position as communications director of Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod after church officials learned of the charges against him, the Journal Sentinel reported.

Hochmuth served as spokesman for the 390,000-member church when it garnered national attention after Michele Bachmann left the church before announcing her candidacy for president. The church had come under fire for its belief that the Catholic papacy is the anti-Christ.

Hochmuth, a former correspondent for CNN, worked as an instructor in Kennesaw State's communications department from 2003 to 2006,

"As with all KSU employees, Hochmuth underwent a background check prior to his initial 2003 employment. That background check indicated no criminal record. No personnel issues were identified during Hochmuth’s association with the university. He resigned and departed in good standing,” the statement said.

Hochmuth is currently out of jail on $20,000 bail and has been ordered not to access the Internet, reported Waukesha Patch. He faces up to 75 years in prison if convicted of all three felonies.