Ex-Rossford principal getting out of prison early

Shown at his sentencing in April, 2012, former Rossford school principal William Buzzell, center, is to be getting out of prison early.

BOWLING GREEN – A former Rossford elementary principal who was convicted of downloading child pornography on his home computer is to get out of prison early.

Wood County Common Pleas Judge Reeve Kelsey today granted a motion for judicial release for William Buzzell, 48, who has served just 17 months of a four-year prison sentence.

Prosecutors opposed the motion, which was Buzzell's second request for early release. On Jan. 2, Judge Kelsey denied a similar motion.

Buzzell, former principal of Rossford’s Glenwood Elementary School, was sentenced to four years in prison in April, 2012, after he pleaded no contest to and was found guilty of three counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor and one count of possession of criminal tools.

As part of the plea agreement, he permanently surrendered his principal’s license with the Ohio Department of Education.

As part of the terms of his release, Buzzell was placed on community control for five years. Judge Kelsey told him that if he violates any of the terms of his release, he could be sent back to prison and said the court would have "zero tolerance" for any sexually oriented offenses.