LISBON — A Beloit man accused of possessing multiple images of minors engaged in sexual acts entered guilty pleas Friday to 56 of the 85 counts against him for pandering obscenity, with sentencing set for 10:20 a.m. July 10.

Joseph Paul Sabella, 39, Stanley Drive, pleaded guilty in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court to six counts of second-degree felony pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person and 50 counts of fourth-degree felony pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person.

As part of the plea deal, four second-degree felony counts of pandering and 15 fourth-degree felony counts of pandering will be dismissed.

County Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer Bonish said she’ll be recommending a total sentence of 25 years in prison. He’ll also be designated a sex offender subject to registration requirements.

Sabella’s defense attorney, Ron Yarwood, said he reviewed the agreement with his client and he’ll be asking for a sentence that’s less than what the prosecution plans to recommend. He also asked that the bond be continued, pending sentencing.

Common Pleas Court Judge Megan Bickerton ordered a pre-sentence investigation and continued the bond. Sabella has remained out of jail under a $50,000 cash or surety bond.

In an affidavit filed by an agent of the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force in county Municipal Court where charges were originally filed, Sabella was identified as a hospital chaplain in Alliance. When he was talking with the judge during Friday’s hearing, he said he’s self-employed.

According to the affidavit, investigators found that on April 8, 2025, Sabella uploaded and published an image of a child being sexually assaulted by an adult male.

On July 2, 2025, agents executed a search warrant at his Beloit home and learned he was in possession of numerous printed images of minors engaging in sex acts and numerous printed images of minors in a state of nudity.

The affidavit said “a brief perusal of numerous electronic devices seized indicated Sabella was in possession of thousands of images of child sexual assault material” and also “thousands of images of minors engaged in sex acts and in states of nudity.”

Bickerton explained the possible penalties to Sabella, noting that the second-degree felonies require a minimum and maximum, with the maximum equal to what the court orders plus 50 %. The sentence is a possible two to eight years each, so if the judge gives the maximum of eight years, the sentence will be eight to 12 years per count. The judge can also decide whether the terms need to be served concurrently or consecutively.

For the fourth-degree misdemeanors, the possible penalty ranges from six months to 18 months each.

The sentence will also include a designation as a Tier II sex offender requiring registration every 180 days for 25 years.

mgreier@mojonews.com