CLEVELAND — A teacher at St. Edward High School, who was arrested and accused of sending an online message to an undercover agent he thought was a minor, appeared in court on Monday.
The teacher, Patrick DeChant, 33, was placed on suspension following his arrest, St. Edward High School Principal K.C. McKenna said.
DeChant was given a $25,000 cash surety bond.
According to Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas records, DeChant is charged with attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, importuning and possessing criminal tools.
Court documents state that Dechant allegedly had a conversation with a person he thought was a 15-year-old boy that was actually an undercover agent with the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (OICAC).
DeChant allegedly "engaged in an online conversation with what he believed was a 15-year-old minor male child and then attempted to engage in sexual conduct with another, knowing that this other person was a minor child, by traveling to a physical location within Cuyahoga County for the purpose of engaging in this sexual conduct," according to court records.
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