NEWS

Gornall gets 56 years in prison for recording students

Al Lawrence
Correspondent

A former kindergarten teacher in the Loudonville-Perrysville School District will effectively spend the rest of his life in prison for videotaping his students using the bathroom last year.

Elliott Gornall is expected to serve 56 of the total 99 years he received as part of his sentencing Monday in Ashland County Common Pleas Court.

Former Loudonville kindergarten teacher Elliot Gornall was remanded into custody after being sentenced Monday morning by Ashland County Common Pleas Judge Ronald P. Forsthoefel.

Gornall pleaded no contest Oct. 29 and was found guilty by Ashland County Judge Ron Ronald Forsthoefel of 181 charges, most involving the illegal use of minors in nudity-oriented material or performance. He was accused of videotaping or trying to videotape 25 of his kindergarten students using the bathroom last year as well as personal use of drugs.

Prior to sentencing, the judge accepted written sentencing stipulations presented earlier by prosecutor Christopher Tunnell that included a list of counts to be merged for sentencing purposes because they involved the same students and similar conduct. Tunnell told the court the action would result in sentences specific to charges involving each child.

Judge Forsthoefel sentenced Gornall to 56 years in prison for 66 second- and third-degree felony counts that included pandering of obscenity. He ordered an additional 43 years in prison to be served concurrently with the 56-year term for the remaining less serious charges involving minors and several other felonies, including the illegal possession of drugs, stolen property and marijuana.

Prior to sentencing, the prosecutor’s victim impact coordinator read letters from two parents who were concerned about the long term effect the stress of the acts will have on their children and whether the videos had gone public.

Gornall pleads no contest in Ashland child porn case

A third mother made a brief statement in the courtroom in which she asked officials to make sure Gornall could not commit the same crimes again.  About two-dozen victim family members attended the sentencing.

Tunnell said evidence in the case shows Gornall has been a drug addict for 15 years and is a pedophile who had “thousands” of videos and pictures of children involved in sex and sexualized acts on his computer. He also described Gornall as a predator who asked to be moved to teach kindergarten, where he had the only classroom in the district with a private attached bathroom.

“This person got into elementary education and maneuvered himself into the youngest, most vulnerable class, got them into a private bathroom and organized his videos of them,” Tunnell said.  “This case is a total betrayal of trust.”

Gornall made a brief statement in which he “humbly” apologized to those affected by the case and said there was no excuse for his actions despite serious problems in his own childhood.  “As a victim of childhood rape and unspeakable abuse myself, I know I never deliberately harmed a child but let my behavior get out of control,” he said.

In addition to prison time, Judge Forsthoefel fined Gornall $15,700, ordered his computer to be forfeited and designated him as a Tier 2 sex offender required to report his residence for 25 years after any release from prison. He also said Gornall would be granted a maximum of an eight percent sentence reduction if he attends programming recommended by state correction officials.

Tunnell said he was satisfied with the sentence in a case he called “devastating” for the families. “You’re not able to have a conversation without a family member tearing up and asking the same questions that there may never be answers for,” he said.

Tunnell said officials do not believe any video or pictures that Gornall took had been posted on the Internet. He said the material will be kept secure with the computer under an evidence retention schedule and eventually destroyed.

Defense attorney Andrew Hyde did not immediately return a call seeking comment. He acknowledged in court that Gornall is appealing the judge’s earlier ruling not to suppress the computer evidence and indicated that he would consider appealing his sentence.

Police began investigating Gornall when Homeland Security officials brought alleged drug activity to their attention. During a drug search of his home, police found a book with images of nude children, 14 pairs of young girls' underwear and the computer images and video.