Former Bellaire Coach Pleads Guilty to 52 Child Pornography Charges

BELMONT COUNTY -- Former Bellaire High School teacher and track coach Shawn Valloric pleaded guilty Monday to 52 charges involving child pornography and is scheduled to return to Belmont County Common Pleas Court next month for sentencing.

Judge John Vavra revoked Valloric's $150,000 bond following the plea hearing and ordered him taken into custody. He had been scheduled to stand trial May 12.

Valloric was originally arraigned in April on 52 counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor or impaired person. The first 14 counts were second-degree felonies, while counts 15 through 52 were fourth-degree felonies. Valloric will be classified as a Tier II sex offender for 25 years.

The second-degree felony charges carry indefinite prison sentences. Vavra previously explained that, for those charges, the court could select a stated minimum term of two to eight years, with the maximum term determined under Ohio's indefinite sentencing law.

Each of the first 14 charges also carried a possible fine of up to $15,000. The remaining 38 fourth-degree felony charges each carried a potential maximum sentence of 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Valloric will be classified as a Tier II sex offender, requiring registration with the sheriff in the county where he lives twice a year for 25 years following his release.

In February, Belmont County Sheriff James Zusack’s criminal investigation unit received information from the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force that Valloric was allegedly in possession of child sexual abuse materials. Within less than eight hours of the tip, the unit investigated, gathered evidence and took Valloric into custody.

He is scheduled to appear before Vavra for sentencing at 9 a.m. on Sept. 14.