A local Catholic priest charged with obstructing justice by deleting hundreds of pornographic images involving children from the computer of his music minister made his first court appearance this morning.The Rev. John Schneider, pastor of St. Eugene Catholic Church, told Buncombe County District Court Judge Calvin Hill that he understood his rights under the law.
Schneider told the judge that he is hiring Asheville attorney David Belser to represent him on the felony charge.
Asheville Police on Monday charged Schneider, 56, with felony obstruction of justice.
A warrant states the suspect entered the apartment of the church’s former music minister, Paul Lawrence Berrell, on May 18 and deleted hundreds of pornographic images of children during a criminal investigation of Berrell.
That’s the same day police charged Berrell, 29, with taking indecent liberties with a minor.
Berrell also was charged May 23 with nine counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor after police searched his North Ridge Drive home.
He remains jailed under a $1.5 million bond.
Schneider was released after posting a $10,000 bond.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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