Judge orders prosecution to turn over evidence by Nov 15

TYLER — On Monday, Judge Christi Kennedy ordered Smith County prosecutors to turn over evidence to the defense team of a man accused of posing as a teenager to underage girls. Luis Ortiz, 23, could face up to life in prison, after several charges last April. Ortiz is accused of sending graphic messages to minors on social media and inviting them into sexual acts, while lying about his age. According to our news partner KETK, Defense attorney Matt Bingham is concerned that a pre-trial hearing is scheduled in a month and he still has no indication of what the evidence against Ortiz entails. He also told the judge he has received no evidence from prosecutors since July. The DA’s office had said at a hearing in August that there was a substantial amount of evidence they were going through, including two cell phones. Bingham said that the defense is especially interested in the cell phones with Bingham saying he intends to hand them over to a forensic expert.