GIRARD SCHOOLS Former official is due in court

If convicted of all of the charges, the former schools chief could face up to 16 years in prison.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A former Girard schools superintendent was due in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court today on charges from last school year that he corrupted a teenage girl with drugs and alcohol.
Court officials said Joseph Shoaf may change his plea today instead of facing a jury trial scheduled for next week.
Shoaf, 36, of Cortland, was indicted May 29 and pleaded innocent June 5 to two counts of corrupting another with drugs and one count each of intimidation, possession of cocaine and trafficking in cocaine.
If he is convicted of all charges, Shoaf could face up to 16 years in prison, said Charles Morrow, an assistant county prosecutor.
If plea is entered
If Shoaf changes his plea, it will be up to Judge Andrew Logan to decide if the former educator should be sentenced immediately or after a background check by the probation department.
Shoaf is free on a $100,000 bond.
Atty. Niki Schwartz of Cleveland, who represents Shoaf, has declined to say if Shoaf entered a drug rehabilitation program.
An affidavit filed with the court by the county prosecutor's office says a 17-year-old student tape-recorded a conversation she had in the spring with Shoaf in his office at the high school.
In the April 23 recording, Shoaf can be heard using cocaine with the girl, drinking vodka and talking of sex, the affidavit states.
Police also say Shoaf gave the girl black lace undergarments to model for him later.
Girard police Capt. Frank Bigowsky has said the cocaine possession charge is a result of Shoaf's admitting on the tape that he had cocaine in his office.
Intimidation charge
The intimidation is said to have taken place May 8 or 9. The affidavit says Shoaf told the girl it would be easy for him to have someone killed.
The basis for the trafficking in cocaine charge is not clear. The indictment says he sold or offered to sell cocaine in March 2002.
Court documents say police found a bottle containing numerous prescription pills and various other pills in Shoaf's office.
sinkovich@vindy.com