Medina High School math teacher, coach indicted on sex-related charges involving minor
A Medina High School teacher has been indicted on two felonies for sex-related crimes involving a minor, according to a letter to parents from the superintendent.
Jason T. Sturm, 39, of Medina, was indicted Wednesday in Medina County Common Pleas Court on charges of pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person and illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance. Both charges are second-degree felonies.
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He is scheduled to be arraigned at 9 a.m. Jan. 2 in Judge William F. Hutson's court.
According to the indictment, the pandering charge involves a July 1, 2021, incident, while the illegal use charge is related to a July 4, 2021, incident.
In addition to teaching math, he is also varsity boys basketball assistant coach.
Sturm was placed on paid administrative leave Nov. 29, Superintendent Aaron Sable said Thursday in a message to parents.
"We understand charges of this nature are distressing, especially in a school environment involving an educator," Sable said.
"We are relieved to know this situation did not directly impact current or former Medina City School District students or staff. We are thankful for the diligence and collaboration of the local police and district administration to ensure our students and staff remain safe."
Sable said he would share additional information as it comes available.
He is the second teacher from the school this year to have been charged with sex-related crimes involving minors. The other is former social studies teacher Kevin L. Hedrick, who is scheduled for sentencing in federal court Dec. 21.
Hedrick, then 37, was indicted in January in a U.S. District Court on charges of receiving visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct; and enticing or coercing a minor to engage in prostitution or any criminal sexual activity, or attempting to do so.
A plea agreement in his case was filed in August but was not available online. Hedrick on Thursday filed letters of support prior to his Dec. 21 sentencing.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Medina teacher, coach indicted on felony charges involving minor
