WILMINGTON — A Blanchester man who pleaded guilty to 10 child pornography-related charges must attend the STAR program and register as a Tier II sex offender for 25 years.

Travis J. Minzler, 33, was sentenced Jan. 2 on the 10 fifth-degree felony counts in Clinton County Common Pleas Court, according to a news release from Blanchester Police Chief Robert Houghton. Minzler was also sentenced to a suspended six-month jail sentence (due to Minzler attending the STAR program) and five years of community control sanctions.

The STAR Community Justice Center is a 360-bed community-based correctional facility that is described as a local alternative to prison with the primary purpose of rehabilitation of non-violent, felony offender in the 19 counties that STAR serves.

On Aug. 29, 2022, the Blanchester Police Department received a notification from ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) about a Google account that was used to download several files of sexual abuse material, or child pornography. Information provided by the ICAC Task Force indicated that the suspect was Minzler.

A search warrant was prepared and executed for Minzler’s Google account, which reportedly revealed more child pornography files. On Nov. 3, 2022, a search warrant was executed at Minzler’s residence where several electronic devices were seized as evidence.

Search warrants were secured for all the seized devices, and taken to the Ohio State Highway Patrol Cyber Crimes Unit for analysis, according to Houghton. Ohio State Highway Patrol Forensic Computer Specialist Dan Mahers conducted the analysis. Upon completion of the analysis, the electronic device in Minzler’s possession at the time of the warrant contained over 300 files of child pornography, police said.

Minzler was arrested on a grand jury indictment for 40 counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor on May 8, 2023. In November, Minzler pleaded guilty to 10 of the counts.

“Blanchester Police Department remains committed to fully investigate all crimes and we are thankful to ICAC and the State Highway Patrol Cyber Crimes Divisions for their assistance,” states a news release from Houghton.