Jan. 29—OTTAWA — A Putnam County teenager entered a plea of not guilty in Putnam County Common Pleas Court on Monday to a single count of the illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance.

Garrett Schroeder, 19, of Ottawa, was arraigned on the second-degree felony charge and also entered a formal denial to allegations made by prosecutors that he had violated provisions of his bond in an earlier criminal case.

Putnam County Prosecutor Gary Lammers said the alleged bond violations include Schroeder’s failure to sustain from using alcohol and tobacco products, failing to remove all guns from his home and continuing to possess an M-84 hand grenade.

Judge Keith Schierloh scheduled a March 4 hearing to address the alleged violations and for attorneys to discuss elements of the new case.

A Putnam County grand jury earlier this month returned an indictment against Schroeder alleging that he photographed a 15-year-old female in a state of nudity last Sept. 23. Lammers said a tip from law enforcement in Cuyahoga County prompted Putnam County officials to obtain a warrant to search Schroeder’s computer. Pornographic images were allegedly located on the device, including photos of the girl. The computer was sent off for further analysis, and Lammers said additional charges may be forthcoming.

In April 2023, Schroeder was charged with assault for putting red pepper into a beverage of a corrections officer at the Putnam County jail while serving as a trustee at the jail. The corrections officer reportedly suffered an anaphylactic shock as a result of that incident. Lammers said Schroeder was serving time following his arrest as a juvenile for downloading pornography. The case was later transferred to common pleas court.

Also addressed during Monday’s hearing was a request from court-appointed defense attorney Austin Buchholz that Schroeder’s $20,000 cash or surety bond be continued. Lammers asked for an additional condition requiring Schroeder to refrain from accessing any electronic device with internet access. The prosecutor said internet access was the “foundation of the underlying charge” against Schroeder.

The judge agreed with that recommendation.