In what is thought to be the first of multiple indictments to come from a special grand jury convened to look into the teen rape case that rocked Steubenville, Ohio, last December a former IT worker for Steubenville City Schools has been charged with obstruction and other crimes, according to the Associated Press.
The case became national news because of the way that it played out on social media. The victim had been quite intoxicated and woke up naked in a strange house. She suspected that she had been assaulted after being reading text messages, seeing photos of herself naked, and seeing video that featured people mocking her and making fun of the attack, according to the Associated Press.
Two students, Trent Mays, 17, and Ma'Lik Richmond, 16, were sentenced to a minimum of a year in juvenile prison for the rape with Mays receiving an extra year for photographing the victim, the Associated Press reports.
People were shocked with the brazenness of the students at the party, many of whom documented the crime, and prosecutors suspected that a cover-up that may have involved school officials took place following the incident, the Associated Press reports.
William Rhinaman, 53, has been indicted on charges of tampering with evidence, obstructing justice, obstructing official business and perjury stemming from the case. Attorney General Mike DeWine would not say what exactly Rhinaman allegedly did but said that he was being charged in connection to his position as IT director, according to the New York Daily News.
"This is the first indictment in an ongoing grand jury investigation," DeWine said in a statement. "Our goal remains to uncover the truth, and our investigation continues."
An attorney for Rhinaman denies all allegations. School Superintendent Mike McVey said that the school would be issuing a statement at a later time, according to the New York Daily News.
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