A former Preble County deputy sheriff was handed down an 18-month prison sentence today following his conviction on charges related to an illegal sexual relationship with a student. Mason Williams, who previously worked as a school resource officer, was found guilty of two counts of sexual battery and one count of tampering with evidence, according to an announcement made by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.
During the trial, Yost's Special Prosecutions Section prosecutors outlined the details of Williams' conduct with an 18-year-old student at National Trail High School. Williams, at 26 years old from Eaton, engaged in behavior unbecoming of his badge, violating his trust. Caught in a relationship forbidden by Ohio law, which bans those in authority from having sexual relations with students at the institutions where they are employed, "He’s an embarrassment to the badge," Yost said in the statement obtained by the Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost's official website. The law holds regardless of the student’s age or the professed consensual nature of the relationship.
Following his prison term, Williams must register as a sexual offender for life, permanently etching his illegal actions into the public record. This mandate comes in the wake of his defense, which came undone amidst evidence and the clear letter of the law. The case, serving as a cautionary tale, underscores the importance of upholding the integrity of positions designed to foster safety and security in educational settings. As Yost explained through the Ohio Attorney General's office, "You can’t do your job of keeping kids safe at school when you lack the judgment to know that students are off-limits for sexual relationships."
