A grand jury has indicted the Steubenville City Schools superintendent and three other school employees for obstructing an investigation into the 2012 rape of a 16-year-old girl.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced Monday that Superintendent Michael McVey faces three felony counts — one charge of tampering with evidence and two counts of obstructing justice. McVey has also been charged with two misdeameanors, for making a false statement and obstructing official business.
Elementary school principal Lynnett Gorman and wrestling coach Seth Fluharty have been charged with misdemeanors of failing to report child abuse as required by state law. The last indicted school employee, volunteer assistant Steubenville football coach Matt Bellardine, was charged with four misdemeanors — allowing underage drinking, obstructing official business, making a false statement and contributing to the unruliness or delinquency of a child.
The Steubenville rape case became national news after photographic and video evidence of the assault spread throughout social media.
In March, a judge found Steubenville High School football players Ma’lik Richmond and Trenton Mays guilty of rape.
Richmond was sentenced to a minimum of one year in a juvenile correctional facility and Mays was sentenced to two years.
A jury was tasked with investigating whether other people were involved. After indicting a total of six people, the grand jury’s work has ended, DeWine said.
“It’s time to let Steubenville move on,” he said at a news conference.
In October, the school’s technology director, William Rhinaman, 53, was indicted for tampering with evidence, obstructing justice, obstructing official business and perjury. The panel also indicted the director’s daughter, 20-year-old Hannah Rhinaman, for grand theft and receiving stolen property charges unrelated to the rape case. According to a news release from DeWine’s office, both individuals have pleaded not guilty.
Clare Kim