Student who posted 'rape' flier in dorm pleads guilty
- The student is no longer at Miami University in Ohio, officials said
- The charge was disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor
- School officials were criticized for failing to alert the student body
OXFORD, Ohio — A now-former Miami University freshman who authored a flier about raping female students pleaded guilty Wednesday to a disorderly conduct charge.
A Butler County judge immediately sealed the case at the request of the student's attorney, keeping the teen's name secret.
The flier, which described the "Top Ten Ways to Get Away with Rape," was discovered in a bathroom at a freshman co-ed dorm in early October.
The charge is a minor misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $100. Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser said he did not know how much the teen was fined.
The deal was worked out after weeks of negotiations between Gmoser and the teen's attorney, Dennis Deters, who declined comment.
Gmoser said he pleased with the outcome.
"My concern was acceptance of responsibility," Gmoser said. "There's a realization by all concerned, especially by the young man, that this was a really dumb thing. This is one of those cases where you say, 'Why make a federal case out of it?'"
Sealing the court file immediately wasn't anything sinister, he said.
"That's probably how the defense wanted to operate under the circumstances to protect his client from adverse publicity. That happens all the time," Gmoser said.
Miami spokeswoman Claire Wagner said the incident was handled through the university's disciplinary process but she couldn't discuss the outcome or name the student because of federal privacy laws that restrict the release of student information.
Gmoser said the student was no longer at Miami University but he did not know whether the teen withdrew or was expelled
.
A student organization that works to prevent sexual assault criticized university officials for failing to alert the student body about the flier.
After an Enquirer story, Miami officials posted a news item about the flier on the university website.