Former Principal Admits Touching Children

The Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office Friday announced that a former Frazeysburg elementary school principal admitted touching children in a way that was harmful. Prosecutor Ron Welch issued the press release and said “in an extremely difficult decision, this plea has ensured that Cory Marling will be permanently stripped of his teaching license which greatly limits his access to other children in the future.”

The  32-year-old Marling pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of Gross Sexual Imposition in 2019. The indictment says the children were between 5 and 10 years old and the allegations of inappropriate touching happened between May of 2017 and December of 2018.

Welch says for people trained in child welfare and experienced in recognizing abuse, the sexual nature of the defendant’s acts and the grooming behavior in the case are self-evident. However at a trial the question would be determined by a jury without specialized training and experience. Welch says Marling still face the possibility of a year in jail. Welch said “the decision to resolve the case in this manner is among the toughest decision I have made in my career.”

For the full statement from Prosecutor Welch, click here.