THANKSGIVING IN JAIL Ex-Public Defender Back In Jail On Flawed Pimping Charge
Reported by: Bob Aaron
Web Producer: Bob Aaron
Reported: Nov. 23, 2012 9:07 AM EST
Updated: Nov. 23, 2012 9:31 AM EST
Eyewitness News Photo
Charleston
, Kanawha County
, West Virginia
A former Kanawha County public defender accused of pimping young boys on line is back behind bars on a charge prosecutors have not been able to indict him for in three terms of court.
Prosecutor Mark Plants announced in August that he was dropping charges against Steven Conifer because he lacked evidence to indict him after more than a year. Conifer was charged with pimping and and receiving support from prostitution after an on-line chat where he allegedly offered the sexual services of young boys for money.
However, Conifer finds himself back in jail because whoever posted his bond withdrew it.
There is no access to court records over the holiday, but it appears that either his lawyer or the prosecutor never moved to dismiss the charge or that one of them did and the judge still has not signed it.
That is expected to leave Conifer, who declined our request for a jail interview, behind bars until at least next week.
Even if someone were to want to post his 5000 dollar bond, they could not do it until the circuit clerk's office opens Monday.
While the case is not technically closed and charges could be re-filed in the future, the prosecutor admitted he had only a year to indict him and that he had to drop the charges back in August.
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Bob Aaron
