Ohio State University Police are investigating a report of “sexual imposition” after a minor visiting campus reported being touched inappropriately by another minor in Drackett Tower earlier this week.
Neither minor is affiliated with OSU, said Ohio State Police Capt. Dave Rose. University Police does not release the names of victims who are minors, or suspects if they have not been charged.
“One person accused another of touching them inappropriately,” Rose said. “They were visitors to the university, they were not students.”
The police report identified two other minors and Johnni Dijulius, a sophomore wrestler, as witnesses to the incident, which occurred Tuesday. The Lantern does not name minors without parental consent. One of the witnesses’ parents declined comment and attempts to reach the other witnesses’ guardian Friday afternoon were unsuccessful. Dijulius did not immediately return a request for comment.
Several youth wrestling camps were held on campus this week.
Representatives from Summer Conference Housing staff declined comment.
Alexandre Picazo, director of operations and strength conditioning for OSU wrestling, and Mark Wilson, athletics compliance officer, provided information to officers regarding the incident, according to the report. Picazo declined comment and Wilson did not immediately return requests for comment Friday.
Dan Wallenberg, athletics department spokesman, said in an email that police are handling the incident.
“The incident you reference does not involve Ohio State camp staff, coaches or any other university personnel or OSU student-athlete,” he said.
When the incident was reported Thursday morning, police were on the scene for about two hours. Rose said they were probably conducting interviews or collecting evidence.
Police are investigating the incident, which is classified as sexual imposition, a third-degree misdemeanor.
Ohio Law defines sexual imposition as sexual contact in which the offender knows it will upset the victim, the victim is unaware of the contact or unable to “control the offender,” the victim is between 13 and 16 years old and the offender is older than 18, or the offender is a mental health professional and convinces the victim the “contact is necessary for mental health treatment.”
This is the third report of sexual imposition at OSU this year. A female student reported sexual imposition on June 13 near Mirror Lake. That case is now closed, but a May 16 report from a female not affiliated with OSU from the Neuropsychological Services is still being investigated.
