TOLEDO (OH)
WTVG [Toledo OH]
June 6, 2026
Charges unrelated to time at St. John’s and St. Benedict in Toledo, school administrators say
TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – A former Toledo Catholic School teacher and coach has been arrested in Florida for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse material, authorities said.
Patrick Russell was arrested on a child pornography charge and booked into a Broward County jail. Charging documents allege he admitted to FBI agents that he kept child sexual abuse material.
TOLEDO TIES
Russell previously worked at St. John’s Jesuit and St. Benedict in Toledo.
Both schools addressed the arrest, saying there’s no evidence of crimes being committed during his time with the Toledo respective schools.
A St. John’s spokesperson said he was employed there as a teacher and coach from fall of 2013 to spring of 2016.
The statement to St. Benedict families said Russell was employed at the school in 2015. It added that the school wasn’t aware of any concerns, complaints or reports related to criminal wrongdoing while he was there.
Both entities asked for prayers for those affected.
THE CRIMINAL CASE
The case was filed on May 28, court records show, after the FBI executed a search warrant and took his phone earlier this year.
Federal investigators allege Russell admitted to viewing, receiving and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) via X, Telegram and Zangi.
Forensics found over 3,000 images and videos of CSAM, the FBI said.
Charging documents provided excerpts of online chat messages in which Russell allegedly described children in sexual acts.
“Russell also advised Agents that he has been ‘battling’ this for awhile,” the charging documents read. “While Russell says he has never touched a minor inappropriately, he admitted to engaging in inappropriate conversations about minors, some of which were sexual in nature. Further, Russell advised that he may have requested images and/or videos of minors.”
Russell has a detention hearing scheduled for June 16.
PREVIOUS DISCIPLINARY ACTION
The 13 Action News I-TEAM has learned that Russell engaged in “unbecoming conduct” and consented to having his Ohio teaching certification suspended indefinitely in 2019, agreeing not to reapply to work in any Ohio schools, according to state records.
The agreement was reached due to Russell’s decision to not participate in proceedings regarding the alleged unbecoming conduct.
The nature of that conduct is unknown at this time. The I-TEAM is working to obtain additional documentation.
Claudia Vercellotti with the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests says Russell being banned from teaching in the state is alarming, and believes there’s more to the story than what is being shared by both schools he worked at in Toledo.
“There’s a big disconnect in the facts for sure. They may have information that is relevant and helpful,” said Vercellotti.