Boardman music teacher arrested, placed on administrative leave
A local teacher was one of two people arrested during an undercover sex trafficking investigation on Friday in Columbiana County.
Police arrested 44-year-old Robert Pavalko for possession of drugs and permitting drug use.
Pavalko is a music teacher in the Boardman Local School district.
He’s been placed on administrative leave, according to Boardman superintendent Tim Saxton.
“We are shocked and deeply disappointed by these allegations. The safety and well-being of our students and staff are our top priorities, and we will continue to work closely with law enforcement to address this matter swiftly and appropriately,” said Saxton.
According to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, Pavalko was arrested for possession of drugs with 26-year-old Logan Larlham.
What led to the arrest
Larlham allegedly responded to an advertisement on a prostitution website that was actually an undercover police officer.
According to the task force, Larlham is already a registered sex offender. He was convicted of unlawful sexual contact with a minor.
In the message to the undercover officer posing as a sex worker, Larlham “solicited the female to come to his motel room in Boardman, and he would get her a room at the motel he was staying at for her to conduct business.”
Larlham suggested she’s be able to send him individuals looking to buy drugs, according to the police.
Larlham and his driver, Pavalko, arrived in Columbiana County to pick up the person and police arrested them.
They both had “suspected methamphetamine,” according to the task force.
The 26-year-old also had an active warrant for his arrest out of Mahoning County for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender
Both men were transported to the Columbiana County Jail.
