Bail reset for magician facing porn charges

Robert Infantino, a professional magician facing pornography charges, had his bail reset Wednesday after a missed court appearance in Riverhead this week.

Infantino, who had been free on $300,000 bond, was taken into custody yesterday morning after he checked himself into New Island Hospital in Bethpage, following an apparent suicide attempt, prosecutors and his attorneys said in court.

Infantino, 51, a children's entertainer who billed himself as "Long Island's Favorite Magician," was to go on trial on charges that he secretly videotaped 19 girls and women at his Central Islip home.

But he was a no-show Tuesday when jury selection was set to begin in Suffolk County Court, prompting a search by U.S. marshals, Suffolk detectives and a private investigator from Brooklyn.

Wearing bandages wrapped around both wrists, Infantino appeared Wednesday before Suffolk County Judge Barbara Kahn, who reset his bail at $2 million bond or $500,000 cash bail.

His attorney, Daniel Russo of Mineola, told the judge that Infantino required six or seven stitches on each wrist to close wounds from what he called an "attempted suicide."

Russo said Infantino had called him about 9 a.m. Wednesday and was about to receive a psychiatric exam when marshals arrived at the hospital.

"I believe he had a psychotic episode," Russo said.

Kahn said Infantino also had ingested "various medications."

Kahn ordered a psychiatric evaluation to determine whether Infantino is competent to stand trial. She told Infantino to return to court on June 7.

Infantino has pleaded not guilty to three counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child, 44 counts of unlawful surveillance and 64 counts of possession of child pornography. If convicted, he faces 10 to 20 years in prison.

Prosecutors say he lured people to his house with the promise of free modeling photo shoots, then videotaped them in a changing room.

Infantino's attorneys have said the video equipment was intended for security and accidentally videotaped people in the changing room.

Infantino's disappearance was his first failure to appear in court since his arrest two years ago, said David Perez, a Brooklyn private investigator hired by a bail bond firm to track Infantino.

He had appeared in court on Monday, Perez said. But on Tuesday, "he just didn't show up" to meet a bail bond representative, Perez said.