COLUMBUS, Ohio-Former Newark police officer Steven Carles is facing misdemeanor charges for allegedly sending inappropriate messages, pictures, and a video to a student. The charges include one count of menacing by stalking and three counts of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, all first-degree misdemeanors.
The investigation began in October 2023 after a family lodged a complaint about Carles contacting their 17-year-old granddaughter. The messages allegedly included unsolicited shirtless pictures and a video of Carles getting out of the shower with suggestive captions. Carles resigned in February 2024 while under investigation and was arraigned in Licking County Municipal Court on March 27, 2024.
