LISBON — A Wellsville man who pleaded guilty to sex charges involving two separate juveniles finally faced his punishment Friday, with the judge sentencing him to 10 years in prison.

Justin R. Talbert, 24, Center Street, appeared with his defense attorney James Lanzo before Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Megan Bickerton, who followed the prosecutor’s recommendation for consecutive sentences.

He received an indefinite term of six to nine years for second-degree felony sexual battery and an additional four years for third-degree felony gross sexual imposition, with charges of first-degree felony rape and third-degree felony importuning dismissed.

That brought the minimum total he must serve to 10 years. An additional three years for the sexual battery charge will be at the discretion of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. He received credit for 104 days served in jail.

Talbert was also designated a Tier III sex offender who must register his address with the sheriff’s office of the county where he resides when he’s released from prison, every 90 days for the rest of his life.

According to the indictment that was issued in 2023, the sexual conduct and sexual contact occurred from April 1, 2021 to Sept. 22, 2022. The rape and sexual battery charges involved a child who was 12 years old when the abuse began. The gross sexual imposition and importuning involved a different child who was also 12 years old when the touching began.

At the time, Talbert was a custodian and a volunteer junior high track coach at Wellsville. County Assistant Prosecutor Steve Yacovone said it was learned he was having inappropriate contact with children, contacting them through social media and sending photos of his private parts.

Yacovone said there was evidence of touching with one of the girls and then sexual conduct with the other girl, with both victims under 13 years of age.

“This is something they’re going to have to live with forever,” Yacovone said.

Talbert could have faced a life sentence for the rape, so Yacovone said the 10 years was a generous offer. He said the recommendation was more than appropriate given the harm the victims suffered.

The mother of one of the victims addressed the court briefly and asked the judge to consider the impact that this had on both girls, crying as she spoke.

“These girls should be considered,” she said.

Lanzo said this is a tough case, noting that his client not only ruined the lives of the victims, but also his own life and his family’s. Talbert tried to have his plea withdrawn based on his alleged lower capacity to understand what was happening at the time of the plea, but Bickerton had denied the request.

“He is a guy who is not functioning on the same intellectual level as the rest of us in this room,” Lanzo said.

Lanzo asked the court to consider a sentence of three years total, citing his client’s lack of a criminal record before this.

Talbert talked about his young daughter and wife when he addressed the court.

“I would just like to say I’m sorry to all the victims for this. I’m sorry for all the trouble I caused the court,” Talbert said.

He was supposed to originally face sentencing in November last year, but showed up to the hearing and fired his previous attorney on the spot and said he wanted to take back the plea. He hired Lanzo and then Lanzo filed a motion to withdraw plea, a hearing was held on the motion, and the judge denied it.

Bickerton told Talbert that he spoke about his daughter, but the two young girls he abused are also someones’ daughters.

“You took an innocence from them that they can never regain,” she said.

Bickerton talked about school and how it’s supposed to be a safe place, “not a place where perpetrators prey on the innocent.”

She said his position as an authority figure led to what happened.

Bickerton told him that she received a victim impact statement from the other victim and it was very telling what she said, including that he gave her weed.

She also said she got letters from his family members, who support him, telling him he should be grateful for that because some defendants come in there with nobody.

After the hearing, Yacovone said, “I’m happy this is finally over for the victims, that they can hopefully move on with their lives. We’re happy the victims finally got their day in court.”

Bickerton advised Talbert of his right to appeal the sentence and her decision on the motion to withdraw plea.

mgreier@mojonews.com