Judge Tells Gym Coach Facing Child Porn Charges To Get Lawyer
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FT. LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) -- A former gymnastics coach accused of possessing child pornography will have to hire a lawyer.
Carl Lechner, 67, already had a public defender in his corner, but in a Broward courtroom Thursday, the judge accused him of lying about his assets and therefore, said he didn't qualify for free legal help.
Lechner was arrested in July on several charges, including seven counts of possessing child porn.
Prosecutors have offered him a plea deal of eight years in prison and 60 years probation as a sex offender. Lechner has not decided whether he'll take the plea.
The state attorney's office decided they would not prosecute him on allegations that he molested a girl in his Ft. Lauderdale home, nearly 20 years ago.
According to the Broward Sheriff's Office, Lechner owned and operated TAG Gymnastics in Weston from 1998 to 2010 and in Davie from 1989 to 2000.
