LISBON — Retired Lisbon science teacher James W. Watt was sentenced to 25 years in prison Friday for 45 counts related to his possession of multiple images of minors engaged in sexual acts, including a naked photo of one of his former students.

Watt, 69, Fairfield School Road, Columbiana, appeared for sentencing in a packed courtroom and said he was truly sorry to the young individuals in the images and apologized to his family, his friends, and the Lisbon community.

Watt this past fall entered a guilty plea to 30 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. He was originally indicted for 75 counts.

As part of the plea deal, 30 counts of fourth-degree felony pandering obscenity will be dismissed. He was also designated a Tier II sex offender requiring him to register as a sex offender for at least 25 years after his release from prison.

Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Megan Bickerton acknowledged all the support he had in the courtroom from family and friends and all the letters of support she received for him, but said that doesn’t change the nature of what was going on.

According to county Prosecutor Steve Yacavone, there were tens of thousands of images of child pornography on the devices found in Watt’s home on Oct. 22, 2024 when it was searched after a tip from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. He said the victims depicted ranged in age from infants to teens.

Watt was represented by his hired defense team of Bruce Williams, Daniel Misiewicz and Christine Falconer. An educator for 43 years, he retired from the Lisbon school district in 2024.

See the full story in the Saturday edition.