Singaporean Amos Yee, 20, has been indicted by a grand jury following charges of child pornography.
A judge informed Yee about the charges against him during a Chicago court appearance on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
When a person is indicted, he is given formal notice that it is believed that he committed a crime.
The indictment contains the basic information that informs the person of the charges against him.
For potential felony charges, a prosecutor will present the evidence to an impartial group of citizens called a grand jury.
"The grand jury has indicted you on this case," Judge Charles Beach told Yee during the remote hearing from the Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago, CNA reported.
The judge also said that the "defendant demands trial".
Yee said "thank you" to the judge, but otherwise did not speak.
What happened
US Marshals arrested Yee on Oct. 14 at his apartment in Chicago’s Norwood Park East neighbourhood.
He was accused of possessing child pornography and grooming.
Yee allegedly exchanged nude photos with a 14-year-old Texas girl via WhatsApp.
The incidents took place between Feb. 1 and June 30, 2019, and he reportedly exchanged "thousands" of texts.
Their relationship then soured, prosecutors alleged, and the girl reached out to a group "interested in exposing paedophiles".
Homeland Security officials were notified.
Yee was granted asylum in the United States three years ago.
He remains in Chicago’s Cook County jail on a US$1 million bond and is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment on Nov. 18.
The Cook County Sheriff’s Office said on Wednesday that Yee would be placed on electronic monitoring, if US$100,000 was posted for the bond.