Ohio schools officer to plead guilty to sex charge

COLUMBUS (AP) — A former Ohio school resource police officer is pleading guilty to a charge that he coerced sexual behavior from minors.

A federal judge had called Todd Smith’s alleged actions “violence of the worst sort” earlier this year after listening to a prosecutor and FBI agent read sexually graphic text messages Smith exchanged with two 15-year-old girls at a Columbus high school.

Smith’s attorney Sam Shamansky said today that Smith will plead guilty to one count of using a cellphone to entice two underage minors to engage in sexual activity.

Columbus federal judge Algenon Marbley has not set a court date for Smith’s plea hearing.