LISBON – A former substitute teacher and paraprofessional of the Columbiana County Educational Service Center accused of possessing and transmitting videos depicting minors engaged in sex acts was arraigned in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court on Thursday.

John M. McFarland, 42, Steubenville Pike Road, Lisbon, is charged with five counts of second-degree felony pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person, 16 counts of fourth-degree felony pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person and single counts of illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance, a fifth-degree felony, and misdemeanor illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia.

Appearing before Judge Scott Washman with his attorney Kiran Kovoor Mikhaiel, McFarland entered a not guilty plea to all 23 counts listed in the indictment.

The five second-degree felony counts stem from May 5, with the rest of the charges all occurring on May 20, according to the indictment.

McFarland was accused of allegedly possessing numerous videos depicting children being sexually assaulted and engaging in sexual activity and conduct on May 20 in Center Township and for allegedly possessing a methamphetamine pipe.

The affidavit filed in Columbiana County Municipal Court by an agent with the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force said that McFarland allegedly transmitted a video depicting a young minor male engaging in sexual conduct via a social media platform on Oct. 10, 2022. On May 5 this year, he allegedly transmitted via email nine videos depicting minors engaging in sexual activity, besides being in possession of the videos on May 20. According to the affidavit, McFarland held positions of trust in the past, including corrections officer, drug counselor, bus driver and substitute teacher.

According to previous published reports, McFarland was hired as a paraprofessional and served as part of a classroom team until November 2024, transitioning to substitute paraeducator in January 2025. He worked in ESC unit classrooms staffed by ESC teachers and staff in Salem City Schools at Reilly Elementary, the ESC unit at Knox Elementary and the ESC Opportunity School. He also subbed at Leetonia, Salem Southeast and Salem Buckeye. Superintendent Marie Williams said McFarland was not left alone with students and completed all the required background checks. He had not subbed since May 2. When the ESC learned of the allegations against him, he was suspended and placed on leave. A day later on May 22, he was officially terminated.

McFarland was released on a $75,000 cash or surety bond set in county Municipal Court. That bond was continued and had conditions. When he previously posted the bond, he was ordered to have no contact by any means with any minors, to have no electronic devices capable of accessing the Internet and to have no firearms.

A Beloit man also appeared before Washam to be arraigned Thursday on charges of possessing multiple images of minors engaged in sexual acts.

Joseph Paul Sabella, 37, Stanley Drive appeared with his his attorney Donald Yardwood, who entered a not guilty plea on Sabella’s behalf to all 83 charges in the indictment.

Sabella is charged with 10 counts of second-degree felony pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person and 75 counts of fourth-degree felony pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person.

In an affidavit filed by an agent of the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force in county Municipal Court, Sabella was identified as a hospital chaplain in Alliance.

That affidavit states investigators found that on April 8 this year, Sabella allegedly uploaded and published an image of a child being sexually assaulted by an adult male.

That investigation led to agents executing a search warrant at Sebella’s Beloit home on July 2. Seballa was allegedly in possession of 66 printed images of minors engaging in sex acts and 64 printed images of minors in a state of nudity and numerous electronic devices seized indicated Sabella was “in possession of thousands of images of child sexual assault material” and also “thousands of images of minors engaged in sex acts and in states of nudity.”

Sebella’s bond of $50,000 cash or surety was continued.

(Staff writer Mary Ann Greier contributed to this story)