The case against McHenry, Ill.-based Novation Industries' former owner, Chris W. Metz, closed after Metz pleaded guilty to one count of felony possession of child pornography on Dec. 4.
As a part of a negotiated plea deal, Judge Tiffany E. Davis sentenced Metz to two years of probation, including 14 days of time served, and a court-ordered sexual offender treatment program, according to McHenry County Circuit Court records.
Metz's trial date was extended six times since March 8. He pleaded not guilty to 10 other counts of felony possession of child pornography. Some information about the case remains closed to the public.
According to McHenry County, Ill., records, Metz was jailed on Dec. 5, 2023, and released the next day. According to the McHenry County Police Department, Metz was initially charged with one count of child pornography, which is a felony.
Metz made the decision to sell the company in early December 2023, and initially had a letter of intent to sell Novation to Scott Baxter and Lee Shawback, who at the time were the CEO and president, respectively. But when that deal fell through, Baxter and Shawback left the company. In April, then-interim CEO Robert Marten told Plastics News that Metz would have no involvement in the business after the sale, and that Novation would eventually hire a permanent CEO.
Novation announced earlier this year, that an unnamed private investor had signed a letter of intent to purchase the injection molder. At the time, officials declined to name the buyer.
Mary Miller of Priest River, Idaho, is now listed as the owner, CEO and president of the company on LinkedIn and on the management team section of Novation's website.
Metz's father, Bill Metz, founded WM Plastics Inc. in 1967. Chris Metz joined the company in 1979. The business was rebranded as Novation Industries in 2013.