Steubenville Rape Case Grand Jury Indicts School's Technology Director
The director of technology for Steubenville schools faces felony charges.
Oct. 8, 2013— -- The high-profile rape case of a 16-year-old girl by two high school football players in Steubenville, Ohio, has led to another indictment -- this time a school district employee, authorities said today.
William Rhinaman, 53, the director of technology for Steubenville City Schools, was charged Monday with tampering with evidence, obstructing justice, obstructing official business and perjury, according to the indictment.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said the charges were related to Rhinaman's information technology position in the school district. "This is the first indictment in an ongoing grand jury investigation. Our goal remains to uncover the truth, and our investigation continues," DeWine said in a statement.
DeWine's spokesman Dan Tierney declined to comment on specifically what crime Rhinaman is accused of committing. But Rhinaman's indictment accuses him of tampering with evidence on or about Aug. 11, 2012 through April 2013. The party at which the rape occurred began on the night of Aug. 11.
In March, Steubenville High School football players Trent Mays, 17, and Ma'lik Richmond, 16, were both found delinquent -- the juvenile court equivalent of guilty -- of the digital penetration of an intoxicated 16-year-old girl. Digital penetration is legally defined as rape in Ohio.
The crime rocked the community and garnered national attention partly because the events were documented by those present and widely shared on social media.
Mays and Richmond were both sentenced to at least one year in juvenile jail and could be held until they are 21 years old. Mays was sentenced to an additional year for a charge related to distributing nude images of a minor.
Rhinaman, of Mingo Junction, Ohio, has worked on and off for Steubenville schools since 1985, and was placed on a leave of absence after the indictment pending the outcome of the criminal case, the Steubenville Board of Education said in a statement.
As the director of technology, "Rhinaman is responsible for the implementation and maintenance of the District's technology infrastructure, hardware and software," the Board of Education said.
Grand Jury Could Mean Additional Steubenville Charges
He was arrested and taken into custody at Jefferson County Jail on Monday, where he is being held with no bond, a jail official told ABC News. His arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday in Jefferson County Common Pleas Court, Tierney told ABC News. Rhinaman has not hired a lawyer, according to the Attorney General's office. Rhinaman's family could not immediately be reached for comment.
The same day that Mays and Richmond were sentenced, DeWine announced that a grand jury would convene in mid-April to investigate whether there could be additional indictments or charges filed.
Parents of Steubenville Rape Victim Want 'Everything Over'
Owners of a home where one of several parties took place that night were interviewed, investigators said, as well as dozens of school officials, including more than two dozen football coaches from Steubenville High School.
Since the verdict, there have been rumblings as to whether the high school's football coach Reno Saccoccia might face some consequences. Advocates have started a number of Change.org petitions to push district officials to fire Saccoccia for allegedly protecting his players.
ABC News' attempts to reach Saccoccia through the Steubenville High School athletic department were unsuccessful. The department declined to comment to ABC News with regard to the grand jury investigation, and would not comment on whether Saccoccia has an attorney.
Tierney declined to comment as to others who may be scrutinized in the grand jury probe, but said the investigation was ongoing. The grand jury will reconvene on Oct. 21 and is expected to meet for a number of days, he said.
ABC News' Christina Ng contributed to this report.
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