43
Campbell man arraigned on child-pornography charges
By Sarah Lehr
CAMPBELL
Bond was set at $200,000 Friday for a Campbell man facing child-pornography charges.
Joshua Baird, 39, appeared for his arraignment in Campbell Municipal Court on 10 felony counts of pandering sexually-oriented matter involving a child.
Agents with the Ohio Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at Baird’s house at 600 Devitt Ave. on Wednesday and seized electronic devices.
Jill Del Greco, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, said Baird is alleged to have made and disseminated pornography involving a juvenile girl. BCI is a division of the attorney general’s office.
Del Greco said Wednesday it is unknown if there were other victims, and the investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information can contact the Ohio BCI tip line at 855-BCI-OHIO.
Baird is listed in the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office database as a registered sex offender.
In 2003, he pleaded guilty to raping and molesting a 4-year-old girl in Columbiana County. In 2004, he pleaded guilty in a separate case to raping a 2-year-old girl in Mahoning County.
As part of Baird’s plea agreement, a Mahoning County judge sentenced Baird to 10 years in prison to be served concurrently with the 11 years Baird received for the Columbiana County case.
Baird will appear Aug. 25 in Campbell Municipal Court for a preliminary hearing. Atty. Anthony Meranto, who was appointed Friday by the court to represent Baird, declined to comment.