An Alford plea isn’t an admission of guilt, defense attorney Sam Shamansky said, but a plea that accepts its punishment.
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O’Donnell faced 14 child-sex related charges, including rape, gross sexual imposition and sexual battery. He entered the Alford plea to one count of gross sexual imposition and the rest of the charges were dismissed as part of a plea deal.
His sentencing hearing is set for March 19.
O’Donnell had posted $150,000 bond in the summer of 2017 after he was arrested. However, there were additional conditions of bond imposed on O’Donnell now, according to the judgment entry.
“Defendant not to leave his residence,” the entry says.
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He also had to report to the adult parole authority in Bellefontaine the day he was released from jail, the entry says.
O’Donnell was fired from Indian Lake before he was found guilty of gross sexual imposition and had sued the school for his job back.
The lawsuit hadn’t been dropped as of this week, according to court records, and a hearing for the civil case was held on Feb. 21.
“Court will review the matter and determine if oral arguments are necessary,” court documents from the hearing say.
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No information has been provided about his wife, Heather O’Donnell, and her employment status as superintendent of the Midwest Regional Educational Center.
She was put on leave after being charged with two counts of child endangering in connection with the charges against her husband. Prosecutors claimed the victim had told Heather O’Donnell about the accusations and she allegedly failed to report them. The charges were dismissed against Heather O’Donnell when her husband pleaded.
Calls to Midwest Regional weren’t returned.
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