TOLEDO — A former political candidate in Ohio will spend two decades behind bars for over a dozen child porn charges, according to our CBS affiliate WTOL-11 TV.
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Ernest McCarthy, 84, of Toledo, pleaded guilty to the following charges:
- Nine counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor
- Four counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor
- Two counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material
WTOL-11 reported that McCarthy initially pleaded not guilty, but changed his plea in February.
He was sentenced to 20 to 21 years in prison on Feb. 26.
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An investigation by the Toledo Police Department found that McCarthy reproduced child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
During the sentencing, the judge said McCarthy had “horrific” digital images on his device.
WTOL-11 reported that when authorities served a search warrant, McCarthy told a detective, in a “very matter-of-fact manner,” that CSAM was on his computer.
He will be classified as a Tier II sex offender and must register for 25 years.
“These crimes exploit the most vulnerable members of Lucas County,” Lucas County Prosecutor Julia Bates said. “This sentence reflects the seriousness of the harm caused and sends a clear message that those who possess and reproduce this material will be held accountable.”
According to WTOL-11, McCarthy previously ran as a Republican candidate for the Ohio state senate in 2018. He lost to the Democrat and incumbent Teresa Fedor.
McCarthy unsuccessfully ran for the Toledo City Council, as a Lucas County Republican Party-endorsed candidate, multiple times.
In 2017, Jon Husted, then-Ohio Secretary of State, denied the county’s republican party’s appointment of McCarthy to the Lucas County Board of Elections, WTOL-11 reported.
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