SLO judge rules on Porter’s request to lower bail in child molestation case

A San Luis Obispo Superior Court judge on Wednesday denied a bail reduction request for Jason Robert Porter, the Paso Robles man charged with 31 counts related to the alleged molestation of 18 children over four years.

Porter, 44, has remained in San Luis Obispo County Jail in lieu of a rare, if not unprecedented, $7 million bail since his arrest in South Pasadena on July 16. He faces a variety of felony charges including lewd acts with a child, oral copulation and possession of material depicting a child engaged in sexual acts; as well as 15 misdemeanor counts of using a concealed camera.

Porter has pleaded not guilty.

Wednesday’s hearing was attended by a handful of the alleged victims’ family members as well as members of the Atascadero chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse, who have been present at nearly all of Porter’s hearings.

Though he said he had not yet read them all, Superior Court Judge Michael Duffy noted that he received several letters from members of the public “absolutely opposed” to a reduction in Porter’s bail.

Duffy denied the bail request but told Porter’s attorney, Steven Rice, that he could refile the motion to be heard at another pre-trial hearing scheduled for Sept. 14.

This story was originally published August 31, 2016 at 11:42 AM with the headline "SLO judge rules on Porter’s request to lower bail in child molestation case."