Steubenville School Official Indicted In Rape Case

The grand jury convened by Ohio's state attorney general to determine whether additional crimes were committed in the notorious Steubenville High School rape case has resulted in the indictment of a school official accused of some sort of cover-up.

William Rhinaman, 53, the Steubenville School District's director of technology, was arrested yesterday on felony charges of obstruction of justice, perjury, and tampering with evidence in connection with the rape of a drunk and unresponsive 16-year-old girl by two of the high school's football players in the summer of 2012. Rhinaman also faces an additional charge of obstructing official business, which is a second-degree misdemeanor.

In a statement, Ohio attorney general Mike DeWine said this was the grand jury's "first indictment" in what he called an "ongoing" investigation, so more arrests could be forthcoming.

In March, Trent Mays and Ma'lik Richmond were found delinquent by a juvenile court on all counts for their roles in raping the victim. But the case became a household story because the girl was mocked—without her knowledge—on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube as the night's events unfolded. That indifference toward the girl fueled speculation that adults in the community were more concerned with protecting Steubenville's famous football program than with the victim's plight. Much of the more conspiratorial speculation turned out to be false, but this first indictment indicates that at least one person may have acted to hinder a law enforcement investigation.

Photo: Associated Press