A LaFayette, Ga., man, who authorities say produced a famous set of videos for a worldwide child pornography ring, pleaded not guilty today in U.S. District Court.

James Bartholomew “Bart” Huskey, a 38-year-old father and private tennis instructor, is charged with one count each of distributing child pornography, receiving child pornography and forcing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography.

Currently in the custody of U.S. Marshals at an undisclosed location with no bond, Mr. Huskey appeared for about 90 seconds Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Rome, Ga., to enter his plea.

Mr. Huskey was the subject of a two-year investigation that originated in Australia, where the videos he is accused of producing first came to the attention of local authorities. He could face up to 70 years in federal prison if found guilty of all charges.

The criminal complaint against Mr. Huskey describes an increasingly violent series of videos in which a girl who appears to be between the ages of 5 and 9 is subjected to different sexual assaults in various locations, including a home bedroom, a hotel room and two different cars.

For complete coverage, see tomorrow’s Chattanooga Times Free Press.

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