A Liberty Township man has started serving a prison sentence after pleading guilty to sex crimes against a teen.

George Austin III appeared in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court on Monday for a pre-trial hearing.

Austin, 23, pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and disseminating matter harmful to a juvenile.

In addition to declaring Austin a sex offender, Judge Peter Kontos sentenced him to nine months in jail.

A Grand Jury in Trumbull County secretly indicted Austin in April charging him with crimes against the teen victim who was less than 16 at the time.