Judge reviews bond for child porn ring suspect after recommendation from Attorney General
COLDWATER, Mich. — A man and a woman accused of plotting to abduct, rape and murder a child appeared in a Branch County court days after criminal charges were announced against them and two other people.
Branch County Judge Brent Weigle said David Bailey and Jayme LaPoint, 19, were a risk to public safety and ordered the pair to stay away from children after reading an affidavit of the twisted plan police say they uncovered.
A multi-agency operation Michigan State Police uncovered a heinous plot that investigators believe Talia Furman, Matthew Toole, Bailey, and LaPoint planned to carry out.
Investigators accuse the group of plotting to abduct a child from a local county fair then torture, sexually assault, and ultimately murder and dispose of the child's body.
LaPoint faced a judge today during a probable cause hearing and listened intently as her charges were read aloud. Bailey faced the same charges by video arraignment.
One day after Bailey's probable cause hearing he was brought before the judge again after a recommendation from the Michigan Attorney General's Office.
Weigle said, “The reason Mr. Bailey, I'm reviewing the bond situation is because the Attorney General notified the court today that they were withdrawing their request that bond be denied totally and that they are requesting just a very high bond be set."
Lapoint was already in jail in Calhoun County. She was charged with sexually assaulting a baby girl she was babysitting and child pornography charges.
Toole and Furman are expected to appear before a Branch County judge Tuesday.
