WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) — Former Liberty Schools superintendent Joe Nohra has been found not guilty of all charges in a bench trial on Wednesday.

Nohra was accused of having a secret surveillance camera mounted on a school building to watch over an employee station in April and May of 2018. He said he was trying to catch a worker accused of stealing from the district.

Nohra argued that he had permission from the board and its legal counsel to conduct the investigation.

The device recorded the conversations of at least five people over a two-week period.

He resigned from the school district in June 2020.

Nohra wanted to move forward with a trial instead of taking a plea deal. The original case on a dozen charges was initially dismissed more than a year ago, only to have Trumbull County prosecutors successfully appeal that decision and have his case reinstated.

Kristen Hephner contributed to this report.