HAMILTON - James Phillips, 30, pleaded guilty Oct. 1 to two counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material and four counts of pandering sexually oriented material.

Officials said Mr. Phillips was living in Hamilton when he committed the crimes, but had since moved to Colerain Township.

A grand jury indicted Mr. Phillips on the basis of five pictures found on his computer, Assistant Prosecutor Megan Shanahan said.

Mr. Phillips' attorney, Dwight Myfelt, sought probation, saying his client cooperated with authorities and had no criminal record.

But Butler County Common Pleas Judge H.J. Bressler said probation wouldn't be appropriate, and sentenced Mr. Phillips to one year more than the minimum.

"They (the children) can't defend themselves, so adults have to do it," Judge Bressler said.

The maximum sentence was eight years.

Prosecutors said the case began in December 2000 when Mr. Phillips sent the images over the Internet to an Illinois FBI agent posing as a 40-year-old woman who shared Mr. Phillips' interest in child pornography.