The trial of a Lowndes County man arrested on child pornography charges during an investigation into his missing stepdaughter again has been continued.
And authorities say the search for his stepdaughter is continuing.
Robert Warren Triplett Jr., 56, of 181 Golding Road, earlier pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court to charges of activities regarding materials constituting or containing child pornography.
His trial initially was scheduled for Feb. 1 in Oxford before Chief Justice Mike Mills, but has been continued multiple times and now is scheduled for Aug. 30, according to court documents.
Triplett was arrested in October when investigators found explicit photos of minor children on a computer obtained from his home during an investigation into the disappearance of his stepdaughter.
Triplett”s stepdaughter, Kaila Morris, 21, has been missing since Sept. 17, when she was last seen by Triplett, who said she left the home he shared with Morris” mother, Bonnie Morris Triplett, in a dark-colored van or sport utility vehicle, with an unknown person or people.
Morris” mother was vacationing in Florida at the time.
Lowndes County Sheriff”s Office Investigator Tony Perkins Wednesday said the investigation into Morris” disappearance is ongoing.
“We”re still looking,” he said, noting the LCSO is receiving “very few” tips or leads into her whereabouts. “We”re still depending on leads to come in to follow up on.”
“It has been an ongoing process,” said Kathy Doty, of GTR K9 Search Team, whose search dogs have been used, most recently about a month ago, to search for Morris. “We have been out several times this year. I even called another dog team to help out to be sure we were on the right track. It”s still active. It”s not a closed case at all.”
Robert Triplett was arrested following a prayer service for Morris; authorities have said he is not connected to Morris” disappearance.
Robert Triplett, who had past arrests for sex crimes in Mississippi and Louisiana, was on non-adjudicated probation from 2003 charges of attempted sexual battery in Jackson County.
But his probation was revoked April 8 and he was sentenced to serve 10 years in the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
Anyone with information on Kaila Morris” whereabouts should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-530-7151, 911, or the LCSO at 662-328-6788.
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