AUSTINTOWN, Ohio -

Just hours after Austintown Township Trustee Steve Kent turned himself in to the county jail on sexual battery charges, he was present at Monday night's trustee meeting. 

Kent, now a fired School Resource Officer out of Poland, posted his $50,000 bond in time to make the meeting.

 

Steve Kent walked into a packed Austintown Township meeting, after getting his mug shot picture taken earlier in the day, pleading not guilty and posting bond. 

 

Prior to the meeting people said they believe Kent owes it to voters to address them, saying it bothers them he hasn't said he is innocent nor addressed them.

 

But Kent didn't address the four felony criminal counts he is charged with in connection with his former job as a Poland School Resource Officer. 

 

Kent's victim prosecutors say is a high school student.  

 

When people went to the podium for public comment Chairman of the Trustees Kent admonished them for not sticking to Austintown business, but two residents did anyway. They say representing Austintown honorably is township business.

 

"We have had enough black eyes and need no more. I am asking you to step down or step back until things get straightened out," Gene Schonce said.

 

"You should step down, I don't say leave because we got to let the law proceed," said Steve Terlecky.

 

Trustees discussed a successful Easter egg hunt, roads and demolition of a once popular bar called the Pink Elephant.

 

Township Trustees addressed several township issues and went into executive session to hire four employees.

 

However people who were at the meeting were upset no one addressed the elephant in the room: the three counts of sexual battery, and tampering with evidence against Trustee Steven Kent.

 

Prior to the meeting several told 21 News they are upset, they have daughters and granddaughters and the criminal charges are serious.

 

Kent walked away when we asked him to address the three counts of alleged sexual battery against a teen girl. 

 

Legally neither Trustees Monica Deavers nor Robert Santos can remove Kent from office.

 

Kent is considered innocent until proven guilty. 

 

But some residents ask why the newly elected trustees are not condemning sexual battery against any teen, and asking Kent to step down until the cloud of criminal suspicion or case in court against Kent is finished. Some people at the meeting say they are disappointed in the new trustees. 

 

Both Deavers and Santos wouldn't comment.