A former Lisbon teacher has asked an appeals court to review his 25-year prison sentence for possessing thousands of files showing the sexual abuse of children.

James Watt, 69, has filed a notice of appeal with the Seventh Appellate District in Youngstown. The filing comes less than a month after a judge ordered him to prison following his guilty plea to dozens of felony charges.

Watt worked as a STEM teacher and coach at David Anderson Junior-Senior High School for more than 30 years. Police arrested him in early 2025 after a tip led investigators to search several electronic devices. Authorities said the devices contained images and videos showing the abuse of teenagers and infants.

During a January hearing, Judge Megan Bickerton sentenced Watt to a 25-year term. She noted his former role as a person in a position of trust within the community. Prosecutors said at the time that at least one victim was a former student of Watt.

In court, Watt asked for no prison time. He told the judge he had experienced a moral reawakening and was attending counseling for addiction. Along with the prison term, the court ordered him to register as a Tier 2 sex offender and serve five years of probation if he is released.

The appeal notice, filed by attorney Edward Czopur, moves the case from the Columbiana County Common Pleas Court to the higher appellate court.

The Seventh Appellate District will now review the lower court's records to decide if the sentencing followed state law.