Steubenville Rape Case: School Superintendent Michael McVey Among Four Indicted
The Steubenville rape case has taken another twist after a grand jury indicted four educators — including the school superintendent — in the 2012 rape of a 16-year-old girl.
The indictments were announced Monday by Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. Those indicted include two educators and an assistant football coach, though Superintendent Michael McVey was the only to be charged with felonies. He faces one count of tampering with evidence and two counts of obstructing justice.
McVey is also charged with misdemeanor counts of making a false statement and obstructing official business.
The others facing charges in the Steubenville rape case include a school teacher and an elementary school principal who were charged with failing to report child abuse or neglect. A volunteer assistant football coach is also charged with misdemeanor counts of allowing underage drinking; obstructing official business; making a false statement; and contributing to the unruliness or delinquency of a child.
The Steubenville rape case gained national attention earlier this year when details of the incident came to light. A 16-year-old girl accused two players on the high school’s popular football team of raping her after she became drunk at a party, with many of the other partygoers taking pictures and making social media posts about the assault.
Town officials were criticized for their slow reaction to the rape accusation and what appeared to be preferential treatment for its football players. The Steubenville rape case because a cause celeb for the online hacktivist group Anonymous, which published details of the social media accounts of the rape.
In March, Steubenville High School football players Ma’lik Richmond and Trenton Mays were convicted of the rape in the case.
Monday’s indictments in the Steubenville rape case brings the number of people facing charges to six. In October, a grand jury indicted 53-year-old William Rhinaman, director of technology for Steubenville City Schools, for charges of tampering with evidence, obstruction of justice, obstructing official business, and perjury.
