Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Staff report
YOUNGSTOWN
An Austintown man has been acquitted on all counts after a nonjury trial on charges he pandered obscenity involving minors.
Judge Maureen A. Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court acquitted Terrence R. Justice, 51, of North Roanoke Avenue, on seven counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor, 16 counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor, and eight counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material.
Saying the prosecution hadn’t met its burden of proving that Justice acted knowingly and recklessly, Judge Sweeney rendered her verdict last week after an April 8 trial.
Justice had been charged with possessing material depicting minors in sexually oriented activity, which was emailed to him by someone in another state.
Detective Sgt. Kathy Dina of the Austintown Police Department said the photographs show several juvenile females, none believed to reside locally. Justice was not suspected of engaging in sexual activity with minors.