Niles man convicted of child pornography gets 5-year probation

Staff report

WARREN

A Niles man convicted of 20 child pornography charges has a lot riding on his ability to remain crime-free during the next five years.

But a filing by his attorney indicates he has an excellent chance of being successful.

Richard E. Lisovitch, 32, of Robbins Avenue was sentenced Thursday to five years’ probation, six months in the Trumbull County jail, and must meet several requirements and prohibitions during his probation.

If he violates any of the probationary terms, he could receive up to 160 years in prison, said Judge Ronald Rice of common pleas court.

Lisovitch pleaded guilty in August to 20 counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor. Each one carries a possible penalty of eight years in prison. Investigators said they found evidence of child pornography in his home in March.

Among the terms of his probation are that Lisovitch not use the internet or spend time with juveniles under 18 without the presence of their parent or guardian.

He must receive group sex-offender treatment, and he must register as a sex offender.

Brendan Keating, Lisovitch’s attorney, filed a memorandum with the court before sentencing that said Lisovitch had never been convicted of a crime before these charges, did not violate the terms of his house arrest while under indictment and shows low likelihood of committing offenses against children.

Lisovitch took a lie-detector test in which he was asked whether he had engaged in sexual contact with a minor, physically touched the sex organs of a minor or engaged in sexual penetration of a minor while he was an adult.

Lisovitch answered no to all three, and the test indicated a probability of truthfulness of 96 percent, the memorandum said.

Lisovitch also was a victim of sexual abuse as a child, the memorandum said.