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Urbana teacher faces 35 charges

Math and science instructor accused of having nude photos of minors on computer.

James Zaborowski

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By Matt Sanctis, Staff Writer Updated 11:40 PM Friday, August 6, 2010

URBANA — An Urbana City Schools teacher was indicted Thursday, Aug. 5, after a 15-month investigation that began in 2009 with allegations that he had an inappropriate relationship with a student at his school via e-mail.

James Zaborowski, 43, of 7282 Cable Road, Cable, was indicted on 35 criminal counts by a Champaign County grand jury. They include:

• 13 counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material or performance.

• 13 counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor.

• Four counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor.

• Two counts of importuning.

• Two counts of possession of criminal tools and one count of tampering with evidence.

Lt. Matt Lingrell, of the Urbana Police Division, said it did not appear that Zaborowski had ever had physical contact with the student. However, when authorities confiscated his computer, they found sexually oriented images involving minors.

He said the case took so long because investigators with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation spent months investigating Zaborowski’s computer files.

“We just wanted to make sure we took our time to do it right,” Lingrell said.

According to information from the Champaign County Clerk of Courts, Zaborowski is scheduled to face an indictment hearing on Tuesday, Aug. 17.

Despite the investigation, Zaborowski was allowed to teach at the high school for the 2009-10 school year.

Charles Thiel, superintendent for the district, said Zaborowski had been placed on leave early in the investigation, but because there were no criminal charges, the school board did not feel they had enough information to remove him from the position.

He said it is not yet clear what action the board will take. School does not start until Aug. 25 in the district, so there is still some time for the board to consider its options.

School officials and police began investigating the case in 2009 after a parent complained that their daughter had been receiving inappropriate messages from Zaborowski through her MySpace page. Among them, one of the messages had asked the student if she had ever been skinny-dipping.

During the investigation, two other students also complained about inappropriate contact, including a male student who complained of inappropriate contact in a school locker room.

Personnel files reviewed by the Springfield News-Sun showed as a teacher, Zaborowski met or exceeded expectations on every evaluation he received from superiors. He has been a math and science teacher with the district since 1994.

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