By Erika Hernandez
Mar 27, 2024, 7:32 PM EDT
Authorities reported that two West Virginia minors face sexual assault and other charges following an alleged incident at a hotel involving members of a high school wrestling team.
Raleigh County Sheriff James Canaday said the perpetrators each face two counts of second-degree sexual assault, unlawful restraint and conspiracy to commit a felony, according to a post on his office’s Facebook page.
The office said juvenile petitions were filed Tuesday in connection with the charges, which arise from an ongoing investigation into a incident recorded earlier this year in a hotel room in Raleigh County.
The students named in the indictment attended Greenbrier West High School.
Raleigh County Prosecutor Ben Hatfield told The Associated Press on Wednesday that There are two victims, both minors.
“This is a situation that I believe was intentional, that I believe occurred due to a lack of impulse control, and that I believe should be punished,” Hatfield said.
He noted that at this early stage of the case, his office needs more information before deciding on the desired course of punishment. Prosecutors will conduct their own investigation in addition to that of the sheriff’s department.
He indicated that he knows what they did, now he needs to know why and if it had ever happened to other students before. “I need to determine whether or not this was a one-time incident on the bus, or if it was some kind of predominant issue that’s going on,” she said.
No further information can be released at this time because the case involves children, authorities said.
Under West Virginia code, second-degree sexual assault is a felony punishable by a maximum of 25 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. A person is guilty of sexual assault in the second degree when he has forced someone to have nonconsensual sexual relations or has engaged in sexual intercourse or sexual intrusion with “another person who is physically helpless.”
If the case progresses, The court will determine whether the minors should be tried as adults.
Both Raleigh County and Greenbrier County, which border Virginia, are located in the southern part of the state.
Keep reading:
–Hispanic arrested for kidnapping and sexually assaulting two women in Virginia
–Detroit man used obituaries to rob families during funerals
–Young Hispanic woman was found dead under a bridge in Texas: The body showed signs of abuse