WILMINGTON — A Blanchester man has pleaded guilty to charges of pandering obscenity involving a minor.

On Thursday in Clinton County Common Pleas Court, Travis Minzler entered a guilty plea to 10 of the 40 pandering charges (all fourth-degree felony offenses) to Judge John “Tim” Rudduck. According to court documents, Minzler, 34, will have to register as a Tier II sex offender and faces a possible maximum prison term of 15 years. He also may pay a maximum fine of $50,000.

Minzler is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 2.

According to a release from the the Blanchester Police Department, officers were notified by Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) in August 2022 of a Google account that was used to “download several files of child sexual abuse material, or child pornography.”

A search warrant was prepared and executed for Minzler’s Google account, which “revealed more child pornography files,” according to authorities.

In November 2022, a search warrant was executed on Minzler’s residence where several electronic devices were seized to be analyzed by the Ohio State Highway Patrol Cyber Crimes Unit.

“Upon completion of the analysis, the electronic devices in Minzler’s possession at the time of the warrant contained over 300 files of child pornography,” the release states.

After the BPD’s investigation, the case was forwarded to the Clinton County’s Prosecutor’s Office and later presented to the grand jury.

Minzler was arrested on May and was later released on bail.

Reach John Hamilton at 937-382-2574