A Bellefonte man who police say was trading more than 1,500 images of child pornography on his computer had his preliminary hearing continued at the Centre County Courthouse yesterday.

Ferguson Township Police Department began investigating Shawn G. Stewart, 23, on Nov. 10, 2004, after Pennsylvania State Police notified it that pornographic images had been traced to Stewart's address at the time, which was located on Apple Green Circle in State College.

State police had been investigating individuals trading child pornography online since Oct. 22, 2004.

According to court documents, Ferguson Township police obtained a search warrant on Nov. 30, 2004 and searched Stewart's residence on Dec. 1, 2004.

They seized four computers, including Stewart's desktop computer from his bedroom.

Police investigated the contents of each computer's hard drive, eventually uncovering 1,543 images believed to be child pornography on Stewart's computer between Aug. 1 and Aug. 4, 2005.

Police also charged him with seven images they found in their initial investigations.

Stewart is accused of trading child pornography over the Internet with the username "BrockSamson."

He is charged with 1,550 counts of sexual abuse of children.

A count, according to court documents, is handed down to a defendant who "knowingly possesses or controls any book, magazine, pamphlet ... computer depiction or other material depicting a child under the age of 18 years old engaging in a prohibited sexual act or in the simulation of such act."

Stewart has also been charged with criminal use of a communication facility.

Stewart's preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 22.