PORTLAND — A South Portland man pleaded not guilty July 2 in U.S. District Court to child pornography charges.

Wayne Niski, 28, was arrested in March by Maine State Police and charged in state court with possession and dissemination of sexually explicit material of someone under the age of 16.

In federal court, he pleaded not guilty to one count each of sexual exploitation of a child, receipt of child pornography, transportation of child pornography and possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors or minors under the age of 12.

Niski will be held without bail, according to information posted on the court’s electronic case filing system.

When Niski was arrested on state charges, Maine State Police spokesman Steve McCausland said the children depicted in the child pornography were between 3 and 9 years old. He also said there was no indication that any Maine children were depicted.

The four-page indictment filed June 24 in federal court alleged that in August 2013 he photographed girl engaged in sexual contact. The indictment does not state how old the girl was.

In December 2014, he allegedly received and shared child pornography on his computer. The indictment also alleged that when police seized his computer in March, images of children under the age of 12 engaged in sex acts were found.

Now that he has been indicted in federal court, the state charges are expected to be dismissed.

If convicted, Niski faces between 15 and 30 years in federal prison on the most serious charge of sexual exploitation of a child.


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