Former Sandusky teacher sentenced

SANDUSKY — A former Sandusky Schools teacher, accused of sending an explicit photo to a student, learned his fate this week. Jeff Sherman, 38, was sentenced to nine months in prison, with two years of probation afterward, after previously pleading guilty to one count of pandering obscenity, a fifth-degree felony. He will need to register as a Tier I sex offender every year for 15 years, court documents show. Sherman will serve his prison sentence at the Correctional Reception Center, near Columbus. As of Monday, he was given three days credit for time served. During an Oct. 27 hearing in Erie County Common Pleas Court, Sherman's sexual battery charge was dismissed — but he pleaded guilty to pandering obscenity. In February 2021, Sherman was indicted by an Erie County grand jury and pleaded not guilty after being charged with sexual battery, a third-degree felony, with a school safety zone specification, meaning the alleged incident happened on school property. The charge stems from a Jan. 15, 2019, incident when Sherman allegedly engaged in sexual conduct with a minor, the indictment states. Appreciate news from your community? Click here to subscribe to the Register. In September 2020, he was placed on paid administrative leave by Sandusky Schools following allegations he sent a photo of himself unclothed from the waist up to a student. He was a teacher for Sandusky High School theater classes and coached football and basketball. When he spoke with the Register, back then, Sherman claimed his phone was hacked and denied allegations he sent explicit photos or had relationships with students. Sherman was arrested and charged in October 2020 after he allegedly had sexual contact with an underage student, according to a police report. He was released from jail the next day and resigned from this teaching job on Oct. 30. The board accepted his resignation during its November meeting. Sherman was hired by Sandusky Schools in 2014 as a paraprofessional to provide additional academic assistance to students. He was transferred to Sandusky High School three years later. Reach reporter Caitlin Nearhood at nearhood@sanduskyregister.com and follow her on Twitter @CaitlinNearhood Read more stories about this case below: