Former TMS teacher arrested

TIFFIN --- Former middle school teacher Travis McQuistion was arrested Thursday on charges of sexual battery. "He engaged in (alleged) sexual conduct with a student while he was a teacher," Tiffin Police Chief David Pauly told the A-T. McQustion was employed with Tiffin Middle School and Columbian High School. The A-T reported in February that McQuistion had resigned following an investigation to ensure he was following state teaching standards, Tiffin City Schools Superintendent Ben Richards had said. According to Richards, the investigation into McQuisition was passed along to the Ohio Department of Education and the State School Board, as the district was required to do. Tiffin City Schools posted a comment to the A-T's social media post, Thursday, stating, "TCS employees hired must have a clear FBI and BCI background check. The checks are repeated periodically according to state mandates." "Tiffin City Schools has become aware that former Columbian and Tiffin Middle School teacher Travis McQuistion has been arrested and jailed stemming from the findings of an investigation by the Tiffin Police Department," said the district in a social media post. "In January 2023, McQuistion was put on administrative leave due to a reported violation of the Ohio Department of Education Code of Professional Conduct. He resigned the following day. At the time of his resignation, TCS was unaware of any behavior on McQuistion's part that rose to the level of a crime. The investigation was then taken over by TPD." "As we have from the onset of this situation, we stand by our students and community with law enforcement and the legal system to ensure those in positions of trust are held accountable for their actions," Richards said, in the social media post. McQuisition was put on administrative leave Jan. 25, due to the investigation and resigned Jan. 26, per his personnel file that was obtained by the A-T in February. According to the Ohio Revised Code the charge of sexual battery (2907.03) - "Whoever violates this section is guilty of sexual battery. Except as otherwise provided in this division, sexual battery is a felony of the third degree. If the other person is less than thirteen years of age, sexual battery is a felony of the second degree, and the court shall impose upon the offender a mandatory prison term equal to one of the prison terms prescribed in section 2929.14 of the Revised Code for a felony of the second degree." The age of the victim is not known at this time or when the incident in question occurred. The case is to be in the Seneca County Court of Common Pleas.