AUSTINTOWN — Two township men were arraigned Wednesday in Austintown Area Court on felony child pornography charges following a criminal investigation.

Robert A. Basic Jr., 44, of Oak Trace Street, was arraigned on pandering obscenity involving a minor.

No plea was required, and bond of $25,000 was set.

Ryan N. Marenkovic, 44, of Nassau Court, was arraigned on pandering obscenity involving a minor, illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance, and possession of felony tools.

No plea was required, and bond of $25,000 was

set.

The Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, part of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Organized Crime Investigations Commission, executed search warrants at the homes of the two men Tuesday as part of an investigation.

Major Jeff Allen of the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation has been ongoing, but investigators also found additional evidence related to child pornography while serving the search warrants.

The arrests were announced in a news release from the attorney general’s office and Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene.

The task force includes personnel from the sheriff’s office, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Austintown Police Department, Ohio Investigative Unit, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Cortland Police Department, Warren Police Department and Youngstown Police Department.

Other assistance came from the U.S. Marshals’ Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force and Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

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