Ex-choir director sentenced to nearly 3 years for sex crimes

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A former choir director at an Ohio high school said he was "ashamed, embarrassed and disgusted" by his actions as he was sentenced to prison for soliciting sex and naked pictures from teenage boys in exchange for higher grades and other favors.

The Columbus Dispatch (http://bit.ly/1GkY2vn ) reports that 28-year-old Zachary Ruppel was sentenced Tuesday in Franklin County Common Pleas court to two years and nine months in prison. He must also register as a sex offender every six months for the next 25 years.

Three underage male students at St. Francis DeSales High School in Columbus reported Ruppel for asking them to text him photos of their genitals.

Ruppel pleaded guilty to charges of compelling prostitution, among other things, in April and asked for probation over prison time.

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Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com