Fairmont AD remains on leave following sex arrest

The court hearing for Brian Donoher, the athletic director for Kettering Fairmont High School, was canceled Friday.

Donoher has been placed on paid administrative leave following his arrest Wednesday in Dayton on suspicion of soliciting prostitution.

Donoher, 42, the son of legendary University of Dayton men’s basketball coach Don Donoher, was taken to the Montgomery County Jail where he was held briefly on suspicion of soliciting and possessing criminal tools — both misdemeanors — before posting 10 percent of his $3,250 bond.

Lt. Brian Johns, head of the narcotics/vice unit, confirmed that Donoher's arrest "did involve him offering to pay an undercover officer for sex." No formal charges have been filed, according to Dayton Municipal Court records.

Johns declined Thursday to comment further on the arrest, citing an on-going investigation. Johns did note that this week was “National Johns Week.”

“The vice unit is focusing on the men who come to Dayton to buy sex,” he said. “We have, in the past, focused on the women involved and not seen a substantial decrease in this type of crime. We’re hoping that focusing on the men will change that.”

Johns said the current investigation, dubbed Operation Oasis, also includes offering help to the women involved in the sex trade through the Oasis House, which can provide support and services to the women.

Johns declined to release a police report on Donoher’s arrest, saying the vice unit is continuing its investigation. The Kettering resident has been Fairmont’s athletic director since 2008, and served as Sidney High School AD for two years prior to that. He is not a teacher at Fairmont, and does not possess a teaching degree.

Kettering Superintendent Jim Schoenlein said he spoke with Donoher briefly Wednesday night.

“I told him we were putting him on administrative leave,” he said. “We want to wait and see what happens, and see how the legal proceedings unfold.”

Schoenlein said he was understandably shocked by the news.

“He has given us every indication that he was a model employee, model father,” he said.

"We are shocked and saddened by the news we have received regarding Athletic Director Brian Donoher. Mr. Donoher will be placed on pain administrative leave Thursday morning and we will await legal proceedings pending further action," he said.

Schoenlein said Assistant Athletic Directors Joy Manning and Frank Baxter would fill in for Donoher.

“We have to make sure all our athletic work gets done,” he said.

Before becoming AD, Donoher spent 12 years as a men’s college basketball coach with Wright State, Wittenberg, Akron, Stetson and Miami University.

Donoher, who is married, is an Alter High School graduate and played basketball for the Flyers for two seasons. He also played for a year at Wittenberg before gradutating from UD in 1992.

In the past, the Dayton vice unit has used undercover officers posing as street prostitutes. The unit also has done Internet sting operations.

Staff writer Katie Wedell contributed to this report