By By Lori Dann
A Flomaton area business owner pleaded guilty Wednesday to possession of child pornography and sexual abuse charges.
As part of the plea agreement, Marvin Marion Franklin, 50, was sentenced to 10 years in the state penitentiary on the child pornography charge and one year, to be served concurrently, on the second degree sexual abuse charge. Franklin's trial had been scheduled to begin Tuesday.
District attorney Mike Godwin said the families of the two male victims, ages 14 and 15, were pleased with the outcome of the case.
Franklin, the owner of Starvin' Marvin's Auto Salvage, had no prior felony arrests.
Godwin noted that because he is a sex offender, Franklin will not be allowed to participate in work release or other programs outside the prison.
When he is released, Franklin may not reside in a home with anyone 18 years old or younger; may not live near a school or day care facility; and must register with local authorities before moving into any residence including his own. He will be listed on the Internet as a sex offender and his future neighbors will be notified when he moves into their area.
Franklin was arrested in April and charged with two counts of sodomy; enticing a child to enter a home for immoral purposes; three counts of possession of obscene matter; and possession of marijuana first degree.
The arrest came following reports from two boys, ages 14 and 15, who said they had been given drugs and alcohol by Franklin. Both boys said they had had sex with Franklin.
Douglas Gordon Minchew, 37, Horton Avenue, East Brewton, was also arrested. He was charged with possession of obscene matter and possession of marijuana first degree. Minchew's trial has not been scheduled. He remains in the detention center in Brewton.
According to a press release from the sheriff's department, Franklin was possibly giving drugs or alcohol to underage boys and showing them pornographic movies and pictures. After they were intoxicated, he allegedly had sex with them.
Franklin owned homes in East Brewton and on Welka Road outside of Flomaton.
In searching two houses, a trailer and a business belonging to Franklin, deputies seized numerous photographs of nude male teenagers, several bags of marijuana, several commercial nude photographs of teen boys and child pornography.