Former teacher indicted for child porn

James Watt
LISBON — A former Lisbon science teacher who retired in May 2024 after 43 years as an educator is now facing 75 felony counts for allegedly possessing images of child pornography.
James W. Watt, 68, Fairfield School Road, Columbiana, was recently served with a secret indictment issued by the Columbiana County Grand Jury for 60 counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person, a fourth-degree felony, and 15 counts of illegal use of minor or impaired person in a nudity-oriented material or performance, a fifth-degree felony.
Columbiana County Assistant Prosecutor Steve Yacovone said there was a tip about Watt from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force regarding alleged images of child pornography.
“They were involved in locating the evidence,” he said.
Yacovone would not go into detail about where the images were found, just that Watt was in possession of the images.
Watt was taken into custody by the county sheriff’s office and was released after posting bond, which was set at $50,000 cash or surety. He’s scheduled to face arraignment at 1 p.m. Jan. 30.
The date of the possession of the images occurred on Oct. 22, 2024, according to the indictment. The pandering charge alleged that Watt did “with knowledge of the character of the material or performance involved, buy, procure, possess or control obscene material that has a minor as one of its participants.”
The other charge, illegal use of minor or impaired person in a nudity-oriented material or performance, alleged that Watt “did possess or view material or performance that shows a minor who was not James W. Watt’s child or ward in a state of nudity.”
According to a previously published story in the Morning Journal about Watt’s career and retirement, he was hired by the Lisbon district in 1985. At the David Anderson Jr/Sr. High School, he taught anatomy, biology and STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, with some lessons covering 3-D printing and drones.
Watt was also a former track and cross country coach at Lisbon.