A principal who once held the title of “Ohio Principal of the Year” has been indicted on seven felonies involving sex with two female students, Chillicothe Gazette reported.
Chillicothe City Schools administrator Jeffrey R. Fisher was issued an indictment by a Ross County grand jury Friday on seven counts of sexual battery, all third-degree felonies. Fisher will be arraigned on Nov. 20. If he’s convicted, he faces one to five years in prison on each charge.
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According to prosecutor Matt Schmidt, the charges relate to two students, who were 16 and 17 at the time and have since graduated. The prosecutor didn’t get into the specifics, but said he didn’t want “the case to be tried in the court of public opinion.” He added that the sexual battery charges include allegations of intercourse.
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“We’ve been aware of these accusations for years and we’ll be entering a not guilty plea,” said Fisher’s attorney, Brad Koffel. “We’re asking for information from the public to help exonerate Jeff Fisher.”
Fixer was principal at Chillicothe High School from January 2011 through last year, when he was hired for a new position in the district. He began with the district in 2005 as a language arts and journalism teacher.
At the time, Fisher was commended during his quick rise for his rapport with students, professionalism and impact on a positive shift in high school culture — all things that led him to being awarded Ohio Principal of the Year in 2015.
Superintendent Jon Saxton has since issued a letter to the community, detailing Fisher’s suspension.
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“We share your concerns about this situation and recognize how incredibly difficult this is for everyone. We are aware this is an emotional situation with diverse opinions, and we ask for your understanding,” Saxton wrote.
Fisher has denied the claims.
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