T-L Photo/ROBERT A. DEFRANK Robert Wilson is arraigned Thursday on a charge of rape. His $500,000 bond was maintained and he may be facing an upcoming federal indictment.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Two men accused of separate sexual offenses pleaded innocent Thursday before Belmont County Common Pleas Judge Frank Fregiato.

A third alleged sex offender was scheduled to be arraigned, but that may occur Monday instead.

Robert Wilson, 50, of 1315 Eoff St., Wheeling is charged with rape of a child younger than 10, a first-degree felony that allegedly occurred Jan. 1, 2018.

Detectives arrested Wilson on April 14 after a warrant was signed by Judge David Trouten of Belmont County Eastern Division Court.

Belmont County Sheriff David Lucas said in a news release last month that evidence in this case is “particularly graphic and indicative of a sexual predator with more than one victim.”

The sheriff also asked the public to contact his office with any information related to this case by calling 740-695-7933.

If convicted, Wilson faces life in prison without possibility of parole.

His pretrial conference was set for June 1 on Thursday with a plea agreement hearing June 14 and trial July 7.

Belmont County sheriff’s detectives received a tip from the FBI that led to Wilson’s arrest.

His $500,000 bond was continued Thursday.

“We do feel that that is appropriate. There may be federal indictment forthcoming as well,” Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan said, adding the federal charges would be connected to the present case. “We know that the federal authorities are looking at him for a photograph that allegedly involved an act between Mr. Wilson and a minor. … It was the federal authorities that notified the Belmont County Sheriff’s Department that they might want to take a look at Mr. Wilson based on a photograph that they intercepted. … Through the course of their investigation, they learned that an act between Mr. Wilson and a minor child did occur in Belmont County.”

Meanwhile, Scott Anthony Lewis, 32, of 106 N. Ridge Road, Martins Ferry was arraigned for three counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person, a second-degree felony, and one count of voyeurism, a fifth-degree felony. Both allegedly occurred March 11.

“The investigating agency is the Martins Ferry Police Department,” Flanagan said afterward. “These are pictures taken of somebody known to Mr. Lewis, and we are alleging they were shared on the internet. … It showed a minor in a state of undress, but it did not involve sexual acts.”

Flanagan said the alleged incidents took place in a private residence.

Lewis’ pretrial conference was set for May 17 with a plea hearing June 1 and trial June 8. His bond was set at $15,000.

Charles Olman, 49, of Kennon St. in Bridgeport also was set to appear, but his arraignment was rescheduled for Monday before Fregiato. Olman is accused of two counts of rape of a child younger than 13. He is currently being held without bail at the jail.