Ex-teacher sentenced to 6 years in prison

VAN WERT - A former Parkway teacher was sentenced to six years in prison Tuesday for four counts of sexual battery involving a former student.

Kevin A. Browning, 44, was sentenced to a total of 72 months in prison by Van Wert County Common Pleas Court Judge Martin Burchfield.     Browning had pleaded guilty to four third-degree felony counts of sexual battery in May.

Each sexual battery charge held a potential maximum sentence of five years in prison, according to court documents. A first-degree felony rape charge was dropped as part of a negotiated plea agreement.

For each of the four sexual-battery charges, the indictment states that on or about Jan. 1, 2018, through Nov. 1, 2018, he engaged in sexual conduct with the victim while he was "a teacher, administrator, coach or other person in authority employed by or serving in a school" in which the victim was enrolled or attended.

Browning originally had been scheduled for sentencing on June 30. Only days before the original sentencing date, about 40 letters of support from family, community members and former students were submitted to the court for review.

Defense attorney William F. Kluge had requested the court consider probation as an appropriate sentence, and sentencing was pushed back to July 6.

Browning was first employed as a high school business teacher at Parkway Local Schools in 2008. He also served as wrestling coach and was hired as a technology director in March 2019.

After school officials became aware of allegations against him, he was placed on leave, and the district contacted the Ohio Department of Education. Browning reportedly resigned Sept. 30, 2019.