JEFFERSON COUNTY — Bail has been set at $2 million for a 48-year-old Mt. Vernon man arrested Tuesday on charges accusing him of sexual assault of a child and production of child pornography.

Michael Wheeler was formally charged Thursday in Jefferson County Court with two Class X felony charges – one for predatory criminal sexual assault of a child under the age of 13 and one for production of child pornography of a victim under the age of 13. He was also charged with Class 2 felony criminal sexual abuse by force.

According to Jefferson County State’s Attorney Sean Featherstun, Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Wheeler on the three counts stemming from two reported victims. Featherstun says the investigation is ongoing.

Wheeler was taken to the Jefferson County Jail where he remains. A preliminary hearing and first appearance with court-appointed counsel in the case is scheduled for July 28.

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Detective Bobby Wallace says Wheeler was taken into custody Tuesday night after the sheriff’s office received a complaint earlier in the day. Wallace says an image of child pornography was seized from an electronic device.