Vermilion man facing child porn charges

VERMILION — A Vermilion man was recently indicted on multiple felony sex charges for allegedly downloading and possessing child pornography. Robert G. Holtz, 36, of the 500 block of South Shore Court, was initially indicted by an Erie County grand jury in September 2024 on 10 counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person. Each count is a second-degree felony. Holtz has since been indicted on 10 additional counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person. Each count is a fourth-degree felony. An investigation into Holtz was prompted after his probation officer arrested him at a motel during a routine probation check in July 2024, according to a police report from Vermilion police. During the probation check, Holtz was found to be in the motel room with an underage girl and another adult. Holtz was on probation at the time in two separate cases through the Vermilion Municipal Court for his alleged relationship with the same underage girl. One of those cases was later dismissed, the police report states. His probation officer asked to conduct a probation search of his cellphone, to which Holtz obliged and provided the passcode to unlock the phone. During the search, the probation officer allegedly found multiple nude photos of the underage girl. The probation officer seized the phone as evidence pending a search warrant, the report states. Three days after Holtz was taken to the Erie County Jail, officers checked his phone calls while incarcerated. Holtz allegedly attempted to contact the girl a total of 37 times, the report states. Officers received a search warrant and searched the phone seized when Holtz was first arrested. Officers allegedly found 106 photos and videos of the underage girl "in some state of nudity and/or engaged in some type of sexual activity," the report states. According to Holtz's indictment, the alleged crimes occurred on or about April 2024 to July 2024, where he allegedly downloaded "obscene material" involving someone under the age of 18. As of Friday evening, Holtz remains in the Erie County Jail on no bond. Holtz has an upcoming court hearing scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 26.