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ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. (First Alert 4) - A former assistant principal of a St. Charles middle school was indicted in federal court last week, accused of receiving child sexual abuse materials (CSAM).

Former middle school assistant principal, Daniel Ott, 41, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 14 on one count of receiving child pornography. On Monday, Ott pleaded not guilty to the charge in U.S. District Court.

Daniel Ott is charged with one Class D felony charge of possession of child pornography (St. Charles County Jail)

In September, Ott was charged with one count of possession of child pornography in St. Charles County Court. State and federal investigators both say Ott had conversations on apps, including Telegram, about the sexual abuse of children.

At the time of his arrest in September, Ott was the assistant principal at Hollenbeck Middle School in the Francis Howell School District. Following his September arrest, the school district released a statement saying Ott had been placed on leave. The district said there was no indication that any Hollenbeck students were involved in Ott's alleged crimes.

Also on Oct. 14, Juan C. Valencia, 43, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of distributing CSAM. He pleaded not guilty on Thursday.

Federal prosecutors accuse Valencia of distributing CSAM to a middle school principal via Telegram, and say he distributed two of the same files of CSAM that they accuse Ott of possessing.

Four days after Ott was arrested in his St. Charles County case, he posted his $500,000 cash-only, no 10% bond.

Records show federal prosecutors filed to have Ott held in jail until his trial in U.S. District Court, but a judge denied the initial motion.

A bond hearing in the federal case is scheduled for Friday.
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