Staff report

WARREN — A Masury man caught by a citizen “predator catchers” group pleaded guilty to child sex charges Wednesday.

Jonathan B. Bellow, 45, of North Stateline Road, pleaded guilty in the courtroom of Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge Sean O’Brien to a fourth-degree felony charge of attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.

Bellow, who faces a maximum prison term of 18 months, will undergo a background investigation conducted by probation officers before his sentencing. Upon release, he will be classified as a Tier 2 sex offender, requiring him to register with the sheriff’s office twice a year for 25 years.

Bellow’s arrest stemmed from a Jan. 14, 2024, sting operation conducted by a group called “Citizen Predator Catchers” at the West Park Manor Apartments in Hubbard. According to a police report, a member of the group posed as a 14-year-old girl and exchanged explicit text messages with Bellow.

The defendant arranged to meet the individual for sex, leading to his arrest by Hubbard police officers.