By Sheila McLaughlin
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Fouss

BATAVIA - A former Amelia High School teacher who faced up to five years in prison for having sex with a female student in 1998 and 1999 received five years of probation Monday.

Judge Robert J. Ringland of Clermont County Common Pleas Court also banned 27-year-old J. Eric Fouss from having any supervisory contact with juveniles, such as coaching, scouting or in a youth ministry.

As part of his probation, Fouss also will undergo random polygraph testing to monitor his behavior, Assistant Prosecutor Daniel Breyer said. Such testing is commonly used by probation officers in managing sex offenders.

Breyer said he was not surprised that Fouss, the last of four Amelia school officials to be prosecuted for sexual improprieties with students, received probation.

"Apparently it was open and notorious," Breyer said of the relationship between Fouss and the girl, who was 17 and 18 years old at the time and was a teaching assistant assigned to help him in class while he was recovering from a car accident. Fouss was 23 and in his first year of teaching. The girl's mother was aware of the romantic liaison, Breyer said.

The girl told Ringland at an earlier hearing that she didn't think Fouss should go to prison.

Fouss pleaded guilty in March to one count of sexual battery, while three other charges were dismissed as part of an agreement with prosecutors. As part of the deal, he agreed to surrender his teaching license in Ohio, and is now working in construction, Breyer said.