Motion To Hold Separate Trials Denied For Two Men Charged Federally In Mercer County Child Porn Investigation

William Ashby

Aaron Beauchamp

Two men charged in a Mercer County child porn investigation will stand trial together later this year in federal court.  Defense motions to hold separate trials for William Ashby of East Moline and Aaron Beauchamp of Matherville were denied today at U.S District Court in Rock Island. Both are charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Child—punishable by 15 to 30 years in prison upon conviction. The two were originally charged at the state level in March of 2016 for incidents involving a 16-year-old juvenile. Beauchamp and Ashby remain in U.S. Marshals Service Custody.  A pre-trial conference is now set for October 4th with a jury trial scheduled for November 6th.