CHARDON, Ohio — Members of the Geauga County Sheriff's Office arrested Berkshire High School baseball coach Nick Burzanko on Thursday amid allegations the 35-year-old sent a lewd photograph to a student.
According to Sheriff Scott A. Hildrenbrand, Burzanko is facing charges of disseminating material harmful to juveniles, a fifth-degree felony. The coach is accused of sending a "pornographic" image to the juvenile student via Snapchat.
Burzanko, a former All-Ohio selection as a player at Berkshire, led the Badgers to a share of the Chagrin Valley Conference championship last season and was named the Valley Division's coach of the year. He also serves as the athletic department's assistant sports coordinator and is an assistant coach for the football team, which hosted Chagrin Falls in a state playoff game Friday night.
Chardon Municipal Court records show Burzanko, a Middlefield resident, was released on his own recognizance Friday morning. He is scheduled to appear again for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 13.
The Berkshire Local School District released the following statement to 3News:
"The district was made aware of an allegation of misconduct by a district employee. As a result, this district employee was immediately placed on leave, ensuring no further contact with students. The district also immediately involved the Geauga County Sheriff Department, who opened an active investigation. The district employee will stay on leave from the district, pending the results of the Geauga County Sheriff Office's investigation. The district cannot comment further until the Geauga County Sheriff Office concludes their investigation. Questions about the investigation can be addressed to Lieutenant Jonovich of the Geauga County Sheriff's Office."
