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Former Mineral Ridge coach, teacher guilty of filming girl

YOUNGSTOWN — A Mineral Ridge High School teacher and girls track coach suspended after allegations surfaced that he secretly filmed a girl at his home will be sentenced Jan. 12 on charges connected to the crime.

Matthew Blair, 46, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to interception of wire, oral or electronic communication, a felony, and misdemeanor voyeurism charges filed in 2016, and a bill of information filed Wednesday accusing the same.

A bill of information is typically filed when a defendant has agreed to plead guilty to the charges. It’s unclear if the bill of information was filed because there was a second victim.

Prosecutors said Blair was caught videotaping a girl in his Cedarwood Drive home. He can be seen on the video entering the girl’s room and adjusting the camera, Tribune Chronicle news partner WKBN 27 reported.

Prosecutors are recommending Blair be placed on five years of probation, surrender his teacher’s license and be labeled a Tier I sex offender, according to court records. The Tier 1 level requires sex offenders to register their address with the sheriff in their county of residence once a year for 15 years.

A charge of possession of criminal tools was dismissed from the 2016 case, court records show.

Blair, who has taught for Weathersfield Local Schools for 16 years, was put on unpaid leave from his job as middle school science teacher when he was charged.

He will remain on unpaid leave until the case formally ends. Superintendent Damon Dohar declined to comment further.

Blair had been the girls varsity track coach. He earned about $64,000 per year.

rselak@tribtoday.com

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