ELYRIA — Nick Vaughn’s relationship with a student has cost him his job as a teacher and cross country coach with Wellington Schools and on Wednesday he pleaded guilty to criminal charges.
But Vaughn said in court that while he is sorry about the repercussions and the people he has alienated, he remains in a relationship with the girl, who sat in the back of Lorain County Common Pleas Judge Christopher Rothgery’s courtroom during the hearing.
Former Wellington High School teacher Nick Vaughn appears in court Wednesday to enter a guilty plea to charges stemming from his relationship with a student. BRAD DICKEN/CHRONICLE
“I have a great, healthy relationship, and I have had that with the victim as well as her family,” Vaughn said. “I plan on keeping that same type of relationship with the family, but I take full responsibility for my actions.”
Vaughn resigned from his job as a technology teacher and coach Dec. 30, 2014, after Wellington police began investigating his relationship with the underage girl at the request of Lorain County Children Services.
Vaughn, 31, was placed on leave from the district after the investigation, which focused on electronic communications between the teacher and the student. His phone was confiscated at the time and police later searched his home, seizing additional electronics.
The investigation led to texts and other messages between the couple that began in June 2014 and lasted until the middle of December 2014, Wellington Police Chief Tim Barfield has said. The search eventually turned up 57,000 deleted messages between the two.
Court records indicate that Vaughn sought a divorce from his now-former wife while being investigated by police for his relationship with the girl last year, something he also mentioned during his court appearance.
During the hearing, Vaughn thanked the victim and her family for their support and their urging that he not be sent to prison after he entered guilty pleas to tampering with evidence and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, which was reduced from a more serious charge of sexual battery.
“I made a lot of errors in judgment, and I made a lot of mistakes, so for them I’m thankful,” Vaughn said. “To everyone else, I can only apologize.”
County Prosecutor Dennis Will said the family had asked for his office to drop the charges against Vaughn, but he refused to do so because he felt the former teacher needed to be held accountable for his actions.
He said the family told him that Vaughn has been good for the girl, who is now a college student, and had helped her deal with some issues, including self-mutilation.
“The father was adamant that he had done very positive things,” Will said.
Will said prosecutors knew that the relationship between Vaughn and the victim in the case is still ongoing, and it appears that it will continue.
“They clearly intend to have a long-term relationship,” he said.
As part of his plea, Vaughn agreed to relinquish state licenses allowing his to teach and coach students and will never again pursue work in education fields.
Because of the nature of the charges he pleaded guilty to, Vaughn will not have to register as a sex offender after he is sentenced in May.
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