Jarod Mills

A Butler County Community College instructor was placed on leave after being charged with four felonies in an Ohio sex trafficking sting.

Jarod Mills, 33, of New Castle, was arrested by the Mahoning County Sherrif’s Office on Oct. 22 and charged with attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, soliciting an adolescent, disseminating matter harmful to juveniles and possessing criminal tools, all fifth-degree felonies.

The charges stem from Operation Autumn Hope, an Ohio sex trafficking sting that resulted in the arrest of 157 men and the rescue of 109 trafficking victims. A copy of the criminal complaint against Mills was not immediately available.

According to the college, BC3 placed Mills on a leave of absence when it learned of his arrested and reassigned his current class, which is being taught virtually, to another instructor. The college described Mills as a part-time instructor.

BC3 had no further comment.

It wasn’t clear what class Mills had been teaching, and his name does not appear on the college’s website outside of a 2019 description of a seminar hosted by the college. That description noted that Mills has a master’s degree in family and marriage counseling.

Mills posted bond Monday, according to court documents, and he faces a preliminary hearing on Friday. A phone call to Ohio lawyer Ross Smith, who was assigned to Mills’ case, was not returned.

Eagle staff writer Steve Ferris contributed to this report.