Former Whitehall drama coach accused of having sex with teen

A former Whitehall Yearling High School drama coach has been arrested and charged with multiple felonies, accused of having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student, police said.

Patrick McGregor, 29, of Westerville, was arrested Wednesday.

According to Westerville police, McGregor had worked as a drama instructor for Whitehall City Schools until he was fired in September.

The relationship with the 17-year-old, who was a former student of McGregor’s, is believed to have started in May and lasted for several months. McGregor and the girl had multiple sexual encounters at homes in the Westerville area, police said.

The 17-year-old’s cellphone was examined by detectives, with text messages and photographs found. Those photos included nude photographs of the teen that had been requested by McGregor.

A search warrant was executed for McGregor’s phone, but text messages and photographs were deleted.

Court records show McGregor McGregor has been charged with sexual battery, tampering with evidence and pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor.

Though the teen involved was over the legal age of consent in Ohio, McGregor’s position as an educational instructor makes his actions illegal.

McGregor had begun working with the drama program in 2015 and had his most-recent contract renewed with the district in June.

McGregor is being held in the Franklin County Jail pending his first court appearance.