HERMITAGE A Sharon man is facing 170 charges in a child pornography case out of Hermitage.

According to a criminal complaint, police were contacted in May of 2025 about a man, identified as 56-year-old Robert Ball was having online conversations with someone he believed to be a 12-year-old girl.

Police say Ball planned to meet the girl in the Hermitage Town Plaza and have her go with him to his apartment in Sharon to take a bath with him.

According to the complaint, members of a citizen group were in the Hermitage Town Plaza waiting for Ball and police arrived a short time later. 

Police say Ball had his cell phone on him, which allegedly had images and videos of a child between the ages of five and six having sex with an adult. Additionally, police say the alleged conversation included images of Ball's genitalia.

Ball was taken to the Hermitage Police Department for questioning, where he allegedly admitted that he was going to meet up with a 12-year-old girl and take her to his apartment to watch movies and maybe take a bath with her.

According to the complaint, when police asked Ball why he thought this was wrong, he told police it was because he is older than the would-be victim and allegedly said he wasn't going to force her to take a bath with him.

Police say Ball admitted he would touch the girl's genitalia "for gratification for [himself]" if she were to take a bath with him.

Ball also allegedly told police that he could not stop thinking about having sexual contact with children and found people on Facebook whom he could get child pornography from.

Police say these profiles had code words for child pornography in their names and that Ball had allegedly been getting this material from them since 2009.

According to the complaint, a search warrant revealed that Ball had a total of 85 images and videos of child pornography across multiple apps.

Court records show that Ball was charged with 85 counts each of child sexual abuse material and criminal use of a communication facility, totaling 170 counts, which are all third-degree felonies.

Ball was arraigned on these charges July 11 and is due back in court July 22 for a preliminary hearing.