Staff report

LISBON — A Hanoverton man charged with multiple felony counts related to child porn and sex for hire decided to forego a jury trial and entered a plea deal instead.

Jay Thomas Kelly, 59, state Route 518, appeared before Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Megan Bickerton on Friday when he pleaded guilty to compelling prostitution, a third-degree felony, importuning, a fifth-degree felony, and nine counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor, a fourth-degree felony.

Charges of possessing criminal tools, a fifth-degree felony, 12 counts of illegal use of a minor or impaired person in a nudity-oriented material or performance, a fifth-degree felony, and soliciting, a misdemeanor, will be dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

Sentencing was scheduled for Sept. 2. Kelly could face a sentence of six months to 36 months in prison. A jury trial had been set to begin Tuesday.

He was initially arrested on June 22 after responding to East Palestine with his phone and money after arranging to meet an undercover Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force agent for sexual conduct in exchange for money. The agent was posing online as a 38-year-old female, 18-year-old female and 15-year-old female.

During the course of the investigation, agents learned Kelly may have child pornography at his home, with a search warrant executed June 23 and electronic equipment seized.