Steubenville Superintendent Resigns to Avoid Criminal Charges

Michael McVey, the superintendent of schools in Steubenville, Ohio, has agreed to resign from his job in exchange for not facing criminal charges related to the district’s handling of a 2012 rape of a teenage girl by two football players. McVey was indicted in November 2013 on charges including evidence tampering and obstruction of justice.

McVey and five other Steubenville school district officials were ultimately charged by a specially appointed grand jury for their handling of the rape, perpetrated by two Steubenville High School football players, Ma’lik Richmond and Trenton Mays. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that McVey, 51, agreed to resign immediately to avoid standing trial, which was set to begin Monday. He had been on paid leave since he was indicted. McVey had pleaded not guilty to the charges, both felonies. Four of those six cases have now been resolved; one is still open against the district’s technology director, William Rhinaman, who’s pleaded not guilty to tampering and obstruction.

McVey was accused of destroying evidence related to the rape case, including deleting emails and wiping hard drives that had files detailing the district’s investigation into the rape. He’s also accused of creating bogus email records, and directing his staff to do the same. Prosecutors said he also concealed information the district had about a party that had happened four months before the rape, a party rumored to involve teenagers drinking and having sex.

A spokesperson for the Ohio Attorney General’s office, speaking to the Associated Press, said McVey will be forbidden to have any contact with anyone involved in the case or the investigation. He will also be ineligible to work for the Steubenville school district ever again.