Former Ohio 'Teacher of the Year' Resigns After Internet Sex Sting Arrest

A veteran teacher resigned from his position at Madison High School in Ohio Monday after he pleaded guilty to attempted unlawful contact with a minor in Pennsylvania, and criminal use of a computer.

Robert Fickenscher, 58, who was named "Teacher of the Year" by a local Walmart store in 2008, sent Internet videos of himself dancing in women’s undergarments, masturbating and performing a striptease for who he believed was a 13-year-old girl, Fox 8 in Cleveland reported.

He told the girl to get a digital camera so that she could send him "revealing" photos of herself, and he tried to lure her to a local motel to have sex with him, promising her wine coolers as a reward.

The girl, however, was an undercover agent from Pennsylvania’s Child Predator Unit. Police arrested Fickenscher in November at an Ohio teaching symposium. He was extradited to Pennsylvania for the trial and remained on paid leave until his resignation Monday.

Fickenscher, affectionately called "Mr. Fick" by former students, "was a very popular teacher," Superintendent Roger Goudy told Cleveland.com. "He was involved. He had a rocket club for kids that the students really enjoyed. He was highly thought of by everyone."

Former students vocally defended him on Internet message boards.

"Please do not be so quick to judge a man's entire life," read one post on the Ohio News Herald Website. Others stated that "he will be missed."

Fickenscher will be sentenced on July 27.

Click here to read more on this story from Fox 8 in Cleveland.

More from Cleveland.com and Ohio News Herald.