In spite of pleas from his wife and a bible counselor, a federal judge is refusing to free former Craig Beach Police Chief Andrew Soloman from jail.

The former chief, who has been in jail since his arrest in late December, pleaded guilty earlier to one count of receiving child pornography.

A motion filed by his attorney asked U.S. District Court Judge John R. Adams to free him from the Mahoning County Jail until his scheduled sentence in late June.

On Wednesday, Judge Adams denied the request without elaborating on his reason for doing so.

The defense motion argued that Soloman is not likely to flee if released and is not a danger to the community.

Two letters sent to Judge Adams supporting Soloman's release were attached to the motion.

One letter from a woman identifying herself as the Director of Biblical Counseling at Believers Church asked that Soloman be temporarily released so he and his wife can undergo marriage counseling.

The second letter is from Soloman's wife who calls him a wonderful husband and “a hands-on dad".

Soloman, 36, was indicted last year after investigators say he received files which contained images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct between October and December.

On December 7, authorities searched Soloman's office at the Craig Beach Police Department, seizing an Apple iPhone 7 smartphone which they say contained child pornography.

Authorities say the investigation centers around an incident that began when Soloman met a juvenile victim when responding to her home for calls about harassment and a runaway.

At the time, the victim said she sat in Soloman's cruiser for several hours and talked. He provided her with his work email address, according to court documents.

The two continued to communicate through text and email throughout 2017, according to investigators.

The victim sent Soloman sexually explicit photographs of herself and Soloman responded by sending sexually explicit photographs via his work email account, according to court documents.

Investigators say Soloman admitted that "about half" of the photographs were inappropriate and eventually confessed to sending her two photos of himself.

Soloman is scheduled to be sentenced on June 28.