Cedar County Prosecutor Ty Gaither opposes bond reduction for man facing possession of child pornography

by Melanie Chance

A bond reduction hearing was conducted for Matthew Charles on October 30, 2024. Charles is facing charges of felony possession of Child Pornography. During the hearing, he maintained a positive demeanor and attempted to joke with court staff. Public Defender Keegan Whipple requested a bond reduction to $10,000 cash or surety with GPS monitoring, citing Charles posing no flight risk. The Cedar County Prosecuting Attorney, Ty Gaither, firmly opposed this request. The court ultimately denied the bond reduction and scheduled a preliminary hearing for November 13, 2024, at 3:00 p.m.