COLUMBUS, Ohio — A former athletic trainer at Galion City Schools was sentenced Friday to at least 12 years in prison for possessing child sexual abuse images, according to Marion County Prosecutor Ray Grogan.
Jon Vitello, 39, of Marion, was sentenced by Judge Matthew Frericks to 12 to 13.5 years in prison on 10 counts of second-degree felony for possession and reproduction of child pornography.
Vitello was arrested last year by the Marion Police Department after they were alerted by Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force to possible crimes.
According to police, officers acted quickly to investigate the incident due to Vitello’s employment at Galion City Schools. He worked in the district for five years and was a contracted employee through a local healthcare provider.
Police said last year that despite his proximity to children at the school, detectives did not find evidence that suggests he was engaged in inappropriate or illegal activity involving students.
Galion City School District Superintendent Jennifer Allerding said in a statement to parents that while there is no evidence of inappropriate contact with any Galion students, Vitello did save photos from social media sites. Police indicated to Allerding that at least one photo is from a Galion athletic event posted by Galion Tigers Athletics.
Investigations revealed that since 2019, Vitello had amassed a large collection of thousands of images and videos, including content depicting very young children in sexually abusive situations.
“This conviction serves as a stark reminder of the hidden dangers within our community, particularly from individuals in positions of trust,” Grogan said.