The trial for a UCLA professor accused of sending pornography to
a 13-year-old Simi Valley girl was postponed Friday so police could
have time to give the defense additional information.
Andrew Dyck, a classics professor at UCLA, was arrested on Oct.
2 after turning himself in to police. Dyck is charged with four
felony counts of sending harmful materials to a minor.
The purpose of the postponement was to allow for further
discovery ““ the release of documents that could help shed
some light on the case, according to Dyck’s attorney, Donald
Etra.
Simi Valley police began investigating Dyck’s case in
December of 2002, when the alleged victim’s parents contacted
police about some explicit e-mails their daughter had been
receiving. During the next few months, police posed as the victim
and continued to receive inappropriate images.
After seizing Dyck’s computer in July, police said they
retrieved pornographic images and e-mails corresponding with those
the victim received.
If convicted, Dyck could face up to four years in prison. He
will plead not guilty to all charges at the Dec. 19 hearing, Etra
said.
“It is (Dyck’s) intention to vigorously defend this
case. He stands innocent of any accusations,” Etra said.
Dyck has been teaching at UCLA since 1978. He was chairman of
the classics department from 1988-1991.