YOUNGSTOWN Robert A. Basic, 44, of Oak Trace Street in Austintown, will spend nine years in prison after pleading guilty Nov. 30, 2020, to 20 child pornography charges then failing to appear for his sentencing Jan. 21.
Basic and Ryan N. Markenkovic, 44, of the Mahoning County jail, were charged with pandering obscenity after an investigation by the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force.
The task force used search warrants at the homes of the two men Aug. 11, finding evidence of child pornography, Maj. Jeff Allen of the Mahoning County Sheriff’s office said.
Basic was indicted on 50 counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor for having child pornograpy on a computer. He later pleaded guilty to 20 counts, and prosecutors were offering to recommend six years in prison.