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LISBON -- Former East Liverpool school resource officer Shawn Long must report to the Columbiana County jail on June 17 this year to begin serving an 89-day jail term, with work release privileges allowed if the jail has a formal work release program.
Long appeared for sentencing Thursday on a charge of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, a fifth-degree felony, for sending an inappropriate photo of his private parts to a teen girl in 2020 while he was serving as the school resource officer at East Liverpool High School. The girl was a student.
During the sentencing in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court, retired Judge Edward O'Farrell placed Long, 51, East Liverpool, on community control for two years starting Feb. 15 this year and concluding Feb. 15, 2026.
He received credit for one day already served and was ordered to serve 89 days in the county jail as a residential sanction. His defense attorney, Chris Amato, requested work release so Long could go to his full-time job at a business, with the judge saying he would decide and put his decision in the written judgment entry, along with the date to report to jail.
In the written judgment entry issued Friday, O'Farrell said work release privileges were allowed if the jail had a formal work release program in effect with established rules and restrictions. Otherwise, he ruled there would be no work release privileges allowed.
Financial sanctions included $1,000 restitution to the victim through the Clerk of Courts office not later than June 17 for her phone and computer and payment of all court costs and supervision fees.
Non-residential sanctions included 250 hours of community service, no consumption or use of alcohol or illegal drugs and prohibited entry to bars, taverns or any business where the sale of alcohol is the principal business function.
Long entered a guilty plea in December to the charge against him.
As a convicted felon, he can no longer serve as a police officer in the state of Ohio. Long had been with the East Liverpool Police Department since March 1997, over 24 years. His last assignment had been school resource officer. He was placed on paid administrative leave in April 2020 while under investigation for alleged inappropriate behavior.
After being off the job for nearly a year, Long resigned effective March 30, 2021. The indictment was issued in September 2023.
mgreier@mojonews.com