LISBON — A jury trial is now set at 9 a.m. Feb. 24 for John M. McFarland, a former substitute teacher and paraprofessional of the Columbiana County Educational Service Center who’s accused of possessing and transmitting videos depicting minors engaged in sex acts.

McFarland, 42, Steubenville Pike Road, Lisbon, appeared in Columbiana County Common Pleas before Judge Megan Bickerton for a pretrial Friday, accompanied by his defense attorney, Kiran Kavoor Mikhaiel.

Besides setting the trial date, a date was also set at 10 a.m. Feb. 9 for a final status hearing. His $75,000 cash or surety bond, which he previously posted to get released, was continued.

McFarland was charged earlier this year 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.

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.

His contract with the ESC was terminated on May 22, one day after he had been suspended and placed on administrative leave, according to the meeting minutes, which are posted on the ESC website. 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. ESC Superintendent Marie Williams had said 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 once in Leetonia, a few times at Salem Southeast and once at Salem Buckeye, but was not left alone with students and completed all the required background checks. He had not subbed since May 2.