By Timothy Fanning
James Anthony Schnur, a longtime librarian and historian at the university who was arrested on child pornography charges last spring, has resigned.
Court records indicate he was released from jail May 25 on a much-reduced $150,000 bond.
The defense motioned to reduce the bond, arguing that Schnur had no prior record and posed no imminent threat to the community, according to Doug Ellis, division director for Pinellas-Pasco state attorney’s office
The second pre-trial hearing is set for Oct. 2.
One of Schnur’s attorneys, Maribeth Wetzel of St. Petersburg did not respond to multiple phone calls and emails from The Crow’s Nest.
Originally placed on unpaid leave, Schnur resigned July 24, according to Jessica Blais, the university director of communications and marketing
Blais declined to comment about Schnur or the university’s review into the allegations of possession of child pornography.
“It’s our practice at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg not to discuss personnel issues or matters that may be under investigation,” Blais said.
Schnur was a longtime historian and librarian at the university and became one of the university’s most respected figures.
He was charged with 10 counts of possession of child pornography after detectives found illegal images on his computer, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said.
Schnur faces 2nd-degree felony charges.
