Nick Burzanko, 35, of Middlefield has been charged with disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, a fifth-degree felony, in Chardon Municipal Court on Friday.
A Berkshire High School coach is accused of sending inappropriate Snapchat photos to a 17-year-old Berkshire Schools student.
Nick Burzanko, 35, of Middlefield, has been charged with disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, a fifth-degree felony. He was arraigned in Chardon Municipal Court on Friday.
Burzanko, who was arrested on Halloween and remained in jail Friday morning, made contact with the student via social media for two years, said Geauga County Prosecutor Jim Flaiz.
An assistant football coach, Burzanko was to be released on a personal recognizance bond set by retired Willoughby Municipal Court Judge Harry Field on the day his Berkshire Badgers football team was to play its first playoff game against Chagrin Falls. Field filled in for Chardon Municipal Court Judge Terri Stupica who was attending a judicial conference in Columbus.
In the complaint: “The accused admitted that he did send the picture but thought that he was covering up his penis. The image was viewed and it was apparent that a portion of the accused’s penis was in the image and pornography was playing on the television in the background.”
Burzanko, a Berkshire graduate, is also the head baseball coach.
Burzanko’s lawyer, Lucas Trott, of the Cleveland-based firm Friedman, Nemecek, Long & Grant, said Burzanko has no criminal background.
Other terms of Burzanko’s bond is he is to have no contact with any juveniles or any contact with Berkshire school district.
In a statement, Berkshire Schools Superintendent John Stoddard wrote: “There is an active investigation by the Geauga Sheriff’s Office. We immediately placed the individual under investigation on leave, pending the results of the investigation. We cannot comment until we are made aware of the results of the investigation. Questions about the investigation can be addressed to Lieutenant (James) Jonovich of the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office.”
