HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- A father who impregnated and married his biological, adult daughter was granted bond Tuesday in Henrico County. It was 42-year-old Steven Pladl's first court appearance in Virginia following his January arrest on an incest charge in North Carolina.
Pladl's $28,000 bond came with conditions that he stay in Virginia while his trial progresses and he stay away from his biological daughter Katie.
Katie, 20, also appeared in court Tuesday on the incest charge. Her lawyers informed the Henrico judge they wanted to speak with Katie before asking the judge for bond. Neither set of lawyers wanted to comment after Tuesday's hearing.
Katie and Steven Pladl
Steven Pladl appeared on law enforcement's radar after his then wife Alyssa reported the alleged relationship between her husband and biological daughter.
Alyssa gave birth to Katie 20 years ago when she was 17 years old.
She and Steven, who was 22, opted to put the baby up for adoption.
Eighteen years later, Katie was able to locate her biological parents -- who lived in the West End of Henrico County.
She ultimately moved in with them, and called the pair mom and dad, Alyssa said.
That was in 2016. The same year Alyssa and Steven separated with the intent to divorce.
Alyssa said she had no idea about the sexual relationship between Steven and Katie until she read one of her other daughter's journals where she found drawings of a pregnant Katie. She also found her daughter had written that Steven was making her call Katie her step-mom.
"There are no words to describe the sense of betrayal and disgust I'm feeling," she told DailyMailTV. "I waited 18 long years to have a relationship with my daughter - and now he's completely destroyed it."
Alyssa later took out protective orders against Steven, so he could not go near her or their two younger daughters. She said she believed Steven brainwashed and manipulated Katie.
In addition to the incest charge, Steven and Katie are charged with two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
CBS 6 legal analyst Todd Stone said the judge who hears the case will have some tough choices to make.
"A judge will have an opportunity to decide whether this statue makes this conduct illegal because of moral and religious ideas or science and increased chance of birth defects,” Stone said. “What should the penalty really be for people who are both adults and consenting to a sexual relationship even though it's illegal in Virginia and most other places?"
