Former “Glee” actor Mark Salling pled not guilty to federal charges he was harboring child pornography.
Appearing in California court on Friday, the actor entered the plea against two counts of receiving and possessing pornographic images of minors, according to the Associated Press.
He was released on $150,000 bail, two-thirds of which were required from Salling personally to ensure his appearance at future court dates, the report said. His attorney Alan Eisner surrendered Salling’s passport as well.
Salling, best known for playing Noah “Puck” Puckerman on the popular Fox musical series, was arrested in December by the LAPD Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
A search warrant issued for the actor’s residence reportedly uncovered as many as 1000 images depicting minors simulating sexual acts. The photos were allegedly spread across a laptop and flash drive.
If convicted, the actor could face up to 20 years in prison on for each count.
“Those who download and possess child pornography create a market that causes more children to be harmed,” United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker said at Salling’s indictment.
“Young victims are harmed every time an image is generated, every time it is distributed, and every time it is viewed.”
As conditions of his release, Salling must wear a location monitoring bracelet, submit to drug tests, and have any internet-connected devices approved by the authorities.