WARREN — A Newton Falls man was sentenced last week to seven to 10.5 years in prison on child pornography charges.

David Lucero, 45, of Woodland Street, pleaded guilty May 7 before Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Judge Sean O’Brien to eight counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and two counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material or performance. The case against Lucero stems from incidents that occurred between July and September 2023, where investigators found numerous images on Lucero’s devices plus videos of juveniles engaged in sexual conduct with adults, court records show.

The case stemmed from a tip to the Internet Crimes Against Children task force based in Cuyahoga County. Lucero was declared a Tier 2 sex offender, which means he must register his address with the sheriff’s office twice per year for 25 years.

VIRGOL BALL

A Warren man pleaded guilty last week to seven sex-related felony charges, including fifth-degree importuning, three counts of disseminating obscene matter harmful to juveniles and two counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.

Virgol Ball, 21, of Fourth Street SW, Warren, will submit to a background investigation prior to sentencing. Prosecutors stated that Ball was having sexual contact with a girl who was 13 at the time.

Warren police began their investigation in September 2023. The case also included incidents where the two exchanged pornographic images on their electronic devices, according to the Trumbull County Prosecutor’s Office. At sentencing, Ball will be declared a Tier 2 sex offender, which means he must register his address with the sheriff’s office twice per year for 25 years.

MATTHEW HURST

Also in O’Brien’s courtroom, Matthew Hurst, 27, of Kinsman Street NW, pleaded guilty to a charge of failure to notify the sheriff of a change of address. Hurst was declared a Tier 2 sexual offender after his 2012 Trumbull County Juvenile Court conviction for a rape offense.

According to Hurst’s attorney, Hurst was evicted from a sober house and was staying at a hotel in between residences and he didn’t realize he had to report the change of status. As a result of the conviction, Hurst was sentenced to an indefinite prison term of three to four-and-a-half years.