Former Ohio police spokesman pleads guilty to child-porn charges

COLUMBUS (AP) — A former spokesman for the police department in Ohio’s capital has pleaded guilty to charges related to using child pornography.

Former Columbus officer Dean Worthington pleaded guilty Monday to pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material.

The 52-year-old will have to register as a sex offender and could face penalties ranging from probation to nearly two decades in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 10.

A message seeking comment was left for his lawyer.

Worthington resigned last month.

Franklin County prosecutors have said the case started with a tip about an image uploaded to a social media site. Investigators later found pornographic images of children on Worthington’s cellphone.

Prosecutors have said there was no indication that Worthington created the images.