Glee alum Mark Salling is scheduled to turn himself in to federal authorities on Friday, June 3, in the child pornography case, the Associated Press reports.
The 33-year-old actor, who played Noah “Puck” Puckerman on the Fox musical series, will be arraigned on two charges of receiving and possessing child pornography. He was indicted by a grand jury on Friday, May 27. Earlier this week, Salling was seen leaving a bank with a $100,000 check payable to the Clerk of the U.S. District Court, which he’s likely to bring to the hearing as part of his bail or a plea bargain, according to TMZ.
Following the indictment, United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker told Us in a statement: “Those who download and possess child pornography create a market that causes more children to be harmed. … Young victims are harmed every time an image is generated, every time it is distributed, and every time it is viewed.”
Back in December, Salling was arrested after the Internet Crimes Against Children LAPD task force was tipped off that he had an extensive collection of child porn. After searching his Sunland, California, home, they allegedly found thousands of photos on his laptop, a hard drive and a USB flash drive. He was later released on $20,000 bail, with his family posting 10 percent of it, according to TMZ.
The actor was cut from his role in the upcoming film Gods and Secrets following his indictment. Adi Shankar, who is codirecting the movie, told Us Weekly in a statement that he will be cut out of the project and his scenes will be reshot with a different actor. “I will personally be paying for the reshoots, and I hope that Mark finds inner peace,” Shankar said. “Furthermore, a percentage of profits from the project will go to a charity for abused children.”
Salling could face a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for receiving child pornography, plus a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for possessing the underage pornography.
