Following three complaints, Athens County Sheriff's Office investigated Jeff Skinner.
An Athens County Sheriff’s Office investigation found an Athens Middle School teacher free of alleged criminal activity, authorities said.
Three separate complaints were filed against Jeff Skinner, also a local basketball coach, and forwarded to the sheriff’s office Feb. 9, prompting the investigation, according to a news release issued Tuesday by Sheriff Rodney Smith’s office.
Smith did not specify the nature of the investigation.
Sheriff’s detectives involved in the investigation spoke to Skinner, witnesses and associated people, according to the news release.
The investigation also involved detectives searching Skinner’s digital devices for any evidence of criminal activity. It was later found that Skinner was not guilty of any inappropriate contact or communication.
Smith said Skinner should be free to return to work.
A few weeks ago, the Athens City School District experienced a similar investigation but with different end results.
On Jan. 27, Athens High School teacher Isaac Thomas was arrested for allegations that he was having sexual relations with a student.
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Thomas later pleaded guilty at his trial, and was sentenced to five years in prison.
Following the trial, the Athens City Schools superintendent, Carl Martin, was placed on paid administrative leave after accusations that he had failed multiple times to report the sexual relations.
Since, Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn has submitted a list of Athens High School faculty members to the Ohio Department of Education, due to suspicion that they also failed to report Thomas' sexual relationship with a student. Blackburn has said this document is not a public record.
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