8 years for ex-Ohio officer in school sex case

COLUMBUS (AP) — A former Ohio school resource officer has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison followed by a year on house arrest for coercing sexual behavior from minors.

Todd Smith was also ordered to register with local police as a sex offender for life.

The 50-year-old Smith pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of using a cellphone to entice two underage minors to engage in sexual activity.

Judge Algenon Marbley handed down the sentence today after recommendations by federal prosecutors that Smith’s cooperation with an ongoing FBI investigation be taken into consideration.

Smith faced as long as 17 years behind bars.

Smith was accused of exchanging thousands of graphic text messages in 2012 with two underage high school girls at the Columbus school where he was posted.