Tri-State teacher arrested on child pornography-related charges

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - A teacher with ties to Warren and Butler County has been arrested on child pornography-related charges.

George Charles Merk is facing four felony charges for pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor, according to court records.

Merk was arrested by Hamilton Township Police in Warren County after he allegedly reproduced two videos showing minors engaging in sexual conduct in February of 2022, the court documents claim.

Back in 2013, Merk was suspended from teaching at Lakota Schools for “failing to maintain appropriate student-teacher boundaries, according to the Ohio Department of Education.

He resigned from his position at Lakota in 2014.

Most recently, Merk taught with Greater Ohio Virtual School, and his contract with them ended at the close of the last school year.

The Greater Ohio Virtual School’s Executive Director said in an email to FOX19 NOW the charges against Merk do not “include any current or former Greater Ohio Virtual School Student or the school in general.”

Merk still has an active teaching license with the State of Ohio that allows him to teach math, music and business to grades 7 through 12.

It is unknown if he secured another teaching job before the start of the 2022-23 school year.

Merk pleaded not guilty to the charges Wednesday. The judge set his bond at $100,000.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please include the title when you click here to report it.

Copyright 2022 WXIX. All rights reserved.