Leavittsburg man pleads guilty to child porn crimes involving 5-year-old girl

A man pleaded guilty to viewing and distributing child pornography with victims as young as 5 years old.

James L. Harper, 44, of West Market Street, Leavittsburg, to two fourth-degree felonies of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles and a fifth-degree count of pandering obscenity. The two minor victims were a male who is now 13 and a female who is now five years old.

Pornography was downloaded to electronics belonging to the defendant, according to prosecutors, as the case was investigated in September of 2023 by both Warren Township police and the Trumbull County Children Services agency.

Harper, who will be declared a Tier 1 sexual offender at sentencing, will be required to register with the sheriff’s office once per year for the next 15 years.

He will be sentenced after undergoing a background investigation conducted by probation officers. The mother of the victims told the judge she had no objections to the terms of the plea deal arrangement.

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