YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — Testimony continued on Friday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court on the second day of the Steve Kent trial.
Kent, 54, of Austintown and a township trustee, is accused of sexual misconduct with a student at Poland Seminary High School while he was a Poland Township Police Department school resource officer.
Jury selection in the case started Monday and was completed Wednesday. Judge John Durkin is hearing the case.
The state attorney general’s office is prosecuting the case to avoid any conflicts of interest.
Kent faces three counts of sexual battery and a single count of tampering with evidence.
On Friday, members of the state Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation testified about the steps they took during the investigation.
BCI investigated the case after allegations surfaced in June 2021 that Kent had behaved inappropriately with a student. He was indicted in April 2022.
The victim in the case testified Thursday about her relationship with Kent and three sexual encounters they had in 2020 and 2021.
BCI Agent Edward Carlini testified about the process used to search Kent’s phone. The victim had testified Thursday that she and Kent communicated through social media apps Instagram and SnapChat.
The prosecution has rested and the defense will begin on Monday.
