Filam child porn trial set May 12

CHICAGO, Illinois – Filipino American Michael Macalindong, the 24-year-old mortgage broker, accused of federal child pornography charges, was ordered to face trial on May 12, 2008 when he failed to make a plea at the status hearing of his case last Nov. 27th .

United States District Judge Ronald A. Guzman of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago told Macalindongs lawyer, Helen Kim, of the Federal defenders program to tell her client to appear in court on May 12 to face trial. Macalindong was not in court during the status hearing last Nov. 27th. If convicted, Macalindong faces a statutory maximum penalty of a life in prison and possible restitution.

Macalindong is held in detention cell at Ozaukee County Justice Center at Port Washington, Wisconsin. One of three children of a Filipino couple from Cavite, the US-born Macalindong is believed to be the first person to use the social networking site Facebook.com to prey on minors.

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