Steve Giardini enters not guilty plea

MOBILE, Alabama - A former Mobile County Assistant District Attorney accused of trying to entice a child entered a not guilty plea.

Steve Giardini was supposed to be in court Tuesday, but his attorney entered a written waiver of arraignment. That means he does not need to appear, and includes his not guilty plea.

Giardini is charged with enticing a child for sexual purposes and soliciting child porn.

During his time as an Assistant D.A., Giardini specialized in child sex crimes. His home was searched in April 2009, and he was arrested in August.

Shortly after Giardini's arrest, the search warrant was unsealed. The seven page warrant revealed graphic details about what the FBI was looking for and why.

FBI special agent Arthur Roche explained how he posed as a 15-year-old girl from Daphne and met “Steven” in an online chat room. Roche says the meeting was the beginning of a three and a half month relationship involving telephone and online communications between the two.

Giardini was released on $250,000 bond.