A former Ohio University student, who sexually assaulted his friend in 2009, took a plea agreement with the Athens County Prosecutor’s Office Tuesday.
Joshua Leslein, 21, pleaded guilty to attempted sexual battery as part of a plea agreement and could spend two years in prison.
Leslein was originally charged with two counts of sexual battery. The charges stemmed from an incident April 20, 2009.
Leslein held a party in his Gamertsfelder Hall room where the female victim fell asleep on Leslein’s bed beside him. The victim believed nothing would happen because Leslein is “openly gay”, according to court documents.
When the victim awoke Leslein had his hand inside her pant and a finger inside her vagina, according to court documents.
As part of the agreement Leslein will spend two years in prison. He is able to apply for judicial release after six months. Leslein is to have no contact with OU, the victim or her family and complete a sex offender program while in prison.
He must pay a $300 restitution fee to the victim and write her a letter of apology, according to the agreement.
If Leslein qualifies for judicial release he will be on parole for five years and have to complete five years of sex offender counseling, according to the agreement.
With Leslein’s original two charges of sexual battery, he could have been sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $20,000 if convicted at a trial, according to the Ohio Revised Code.
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