Former Austintown trustee, ex-cop heading back to jail after court rejects his appeal
After being released from jail during his appeal nearly one year ago, former Austintown trustee and Poland Schools resource officer Steve Kent is heading back to jail.
The Seventh Court of Appeals disagreed with the defense's argument Tuesday that the state didn't sufficiently prove its case regarding the crime of tampering with evidence on Kent's cell phone.
Kent was sentenced to a year in jail after being found guilty of tampering with evidence in the case involving a former Poland student. He was acquitted of three other charges, including sexual battery.
Judge Mark Hanni concurred with the judge's ruling and majority opinion, stating, "...as a police officer, and even more specifically as a school resource officer, makes his argument that he could not been aware that an investigation was likely to ensue not credible."
