×

EP man pleads guilty to child porn charges

LISBON –An East Palestine man accused of possessing images of child pornography pleaded guilty Thursday to all 17 counts in the indictment, with sentencing now set for 11 a.m. Sept. 19.

Robert W. Rogers, 75, Bacon Avenue, was accompanied by his defense attorney Coleen Hall Dailey during the plea hearing in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court before Judge Scott Washam. Rogers was charged earlier this year with 17 counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person, a fourth-degree felony, for allegedly possessing the images on June 18, 2024.

The pandering charge alleged that Rogers did “with knowledge of the character of the material or performance involved, buy, procure, possess or control obscene material that has a minor as one of its participants.”

The prosecution was represented by county Assistant Prosecutors Tammie Riley Jones and Christopher Weeda, with Jones telling the court she’ll be recommending a total of five years in prison for the sentence. The sentence will be 12 months each for counts 1-3, 4-7, 8-11, 12-14 and 15-17, bringing the total to five years.

She said she’ll oppose community control, but if it’s granted, she’ll request that Rogers have no contact with juveniles and have to serve a term of local incarceration.

Dailey said she’s requesting an evaluation for placement at the Eastern Ohio Correctional Center in Wintersville for community control.

During a discussion with Washam, Rogers relayed that he earned a GED or high school graduation equivalent and served time in the U.S. Army in the late 1960s to early 1970s. He read him the elements of the crime and asked if his attorney went over all that with him. Dailey said they talked about the police reports and a statement made to the F.B.I.

Washam explained that he may be deemed a Tier II sex offender with a requirement to register his address with the sheriff’s office. He said the minimum possible penalty for each count was six months and the maximum possible penalty for each count was 18 months. Rogers asked about the jail time, but Washam said that will be a decision made at sentencing.

Washam ordered a pre-sentence investigation by the Adult Probation department and the evaluation for placement at the EOCC.

Rogers remains out of jail on a $50,000 cash or surety bond.

Starting at $2.99/week.

Subscribe Today