Former teacher granted early prison release

NEWARK – A former Johnstown-Monroe intervention specialist will be freed Thursday night after spending more than two years behind bars.

Judge Thomas Marcelain granted Sonya Horn's request to have the last 22 months of her prison sentence suspended and to be released on probation.

Horn was sentenced to four years in prison in January 2013 after being found guilty of four counts of sexual battery and one count of tampering with evidence.

Horn engaged in a sexual relationship with a special needs student in 2011 and attempted to destroy records related to the case.

As part of a plea deal reached in the case, prosecutors agreed to not oppose judicial release if Horn requested it.

Horn will be released Thursday from the Licking County Justice Center. She was returned there from the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville, where she was serving her prison sentence.

As part of her probation, Horn will not be allowed access to the Internet or to have unsupervised contact with minors. She will not be permitted to have contact with the victim.

Marcelain said releasing Horn from prison early allows him to monitor Horn and make sure she isn't breaking the law.

"If we release you here, I can assure the community for five years you won't be doing anything," he said.

The oversight a local community control punishment would provide is greater than what would be provided by the Adult Parole Authority if Horn served out the balance of her prison term and was released, he said.

Horn is required to register as a Tier III sexual offender every 90 days for life. Her teaching license has been permanently revoked by the Ohio Department of Education.