By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – A 32-year-old Alabaster man is set to stand trial on a felony count of production of child pornography after a Circuit Court Judge recently declared the case trial-ready.

Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Lara Alvis in October placed a production of child pornography charge against Chiao Chang, who lists an address on Trail Circle in Alabaster, on the court’s general call docket “to await an available trial cycle.”

The order came more than a year after a Shelby County grand jury indicted Chang on the felony count of production of child pornography in August 2015.

The Alabaster Police Department arrested Chang in March 2015 and charged him with one felony count of producing child pornography. Chang was released from the Shelby County Jail the same day he was arrested after posting a $15,000 bond.

According to his arrest warrant, Chang allegedly took explicit photographs of an underage victim between Jan. 1, 2013, and March 31, 2013.

During a Sept. 25, 2015, hearing in Shelby County Circuit Court, Chang entered a plea of not guilty to the charge, and waived his right to an arraignment hearing.

Production of child pornography is a Class A felony, which is the highest classification for felonies in Alabama law. If convicted, Chang could face up to life in prison.

As of Nov. 2, he did not yet have a future hearing date listed in Circuit Court documents.