Thu Feb 09 2012
by Jeff Saunders
Reporter
Cleveland — Bedford Heights resident James G. Mahan, who served nearly three years as the aquatics director at the Macedonia Family Recreation Center, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison on 95 felony charges involving illegal photographs of minors investigators say were found on his home computer.
He had pleaded no contest and was found guilty on all the charges June 7 by Judge Bridget McCafferty, of the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas.
McCafferty sentenced Mahan, 58, Aug. 25, but allowed him to remain free on a $10,000 bond for 30 days, according to court officials.
A phone number could not be found for Mahan.
His attorney, Ronald Frey, said Aug. 26 that Mahan’s no contest plea, as well as McCafferty’s decision to allow Mahan to remain free, was made in anticipation of a planned appeal in the Eighth District Court of Appeals in Cleveland. Frey said the appeal is in connection with “constitutional matters involving search and seizure.”
Frey said Aug, 26 that he was unsure when the appeal would be filed, but he has up to 30 days to file it and he expects the appeal to include a request for an extension of Mahan’s bond.
“We are confident that our challenges have merit,” said Frey, who declined further comment.
Mahan has been free on bond since November 2008 when he was charged with 59 counts of second-degree felony pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and one count of fifth-degree felony possession of criminal tools. In June 2009, Mahan was charged with 22 additional pandering charges, as well as 13 counts of second-degree felony illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material or performance.
Mahan was hired as the city’s aquatics director in 2005. He was responsible for supervising the rec center’s swimming programs and pool staff. He was placed on administrative leave in July 2008 after city officials were informed Mahan was the subject of an investigation and his work computer was seized by the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Mahan resigned in August 2008. City officials say the work computer was later returned.
Ryan Miday, spokesperson for the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, which is a member of the task force along with dozens of Cuyahoga County law enforcement agencies, said Mahan’s work computer did not have any illicit images and he is not suspected of any wrongdoing at the rec center.
E-mail: jsaunders@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3169
Comments
By Posting to this site, you agree to our Terms of Service Be polite.
Inappropriate posts may be removed.
The-News-Leader.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post.
Login above or Register to comment.
0 Total Comments Home | Back
Copyright Record Publishing Co, LLC. 1995-2010. All Rights Reserved.
Content may not be republished without the expressed written consent of the publisher.
Content may not be republished without the expressed written consent of the publisher.
Dix Communications