FAYETTE COUNTY — A defense motion requesting electronic release for a 37-year-old Vandalia man charged with 10 counts of possession of child pornography was rejected Tuesday in Fayette County Court.

Ryan J. Koontz had been free on $30,000 cash bond since his 2014 arrest on two Class X felony charges and eight Class 2 felony charges of possessing child pornography but when he failed to appear at a May 2017 jury trial in the case his bond was revoked and bail was then set at $2 million.

The court was prepared to try Koontz in absentia after he failed to appear, but his defense attorney failed to appear the next day and the judge dismissed the jurors. Koontz was arrested a few days later.

Despite letters from Koontz’ family claiming his health is suffering in jail, the court found that Koontz has had access to medical care while in custody, that he has been to the hospital and has been seen by a doctor while in custody. Citing that information and the fact that Koontz previously fled from prosecution in the case, the court denied the defense request for electronic home confinement.

The case is next scheduled in court January 12 for a pre-trial hearing.

According to the Attorney General’s Office, Koontz was arrested in November 2014 as part of “Operation Glass House,” a statewide initiative launched in 2010 to apprehend the most active offenders who download and trade child pornography online.