BLOOMINGTON - The McLean County criminal case against a former Bloomington minister and substitute teacher will not move forward until a pending federal case against him is resolved.

James Love, 37, was in court Thursday for a status hearing on charges that he sedated and sexually abused four teenage boys at his home.

Defense attorney Steve Skelton said Love's federal trial on production of pornography is scheduled to begin in Peoria on Feb. 25. Skelton has asked that the local case be put on hold until the federal case is over, allowing Love a better chance to have any prison sentences be concurrent if he is convicted in both venues.

Assistant State's Attorney Suzanne Geller did not object to Skelton's request. A March 21 status date has been set in the local case.

The McLean County allegations carry a possible prison term of seven years on the abuse counts and five years on aggravated battery charges related to the sedation. The judge could make the local sentences consecutive.

The U.S. attorney's office has accused Love of photographing two of the boys. The government's case against Love includes images seized from a computer at his home. Bloomington police and the Central Illinois Cybercrime Unit cooperated in the investigation.

If convicted on the federal counts, Love could be sentenced to 15 to 30 years in prison.

Love was charged in May with abusing one boy; additional charges were made about a week later. The federal charges were filed in October.

Before his arrest, Love was a minister at Bloomington's Mount Pisgah Baptist Church. He also worked as a substitute teacher for Unit 5 and District 87 school districts.