Miami University student indicted on 13 sex charges, including rape

A Miami University student is behind bars after being indicted on 13 sex charges, including rape.

Nicolas Cristescu, 20, of Cleveland, who lives in the Pines Lodge residence hall at Heritage Commons, is accused of rape and sexual battery, both felonies, as well as 11 counts of misdemeanor voyeurism, according to the Butler County Clerk of Courts Office.

The crimes are alleged to have occurred between Oct. 11 and 12.

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The rape indictment alleges Cristescu engaged in sexual conduct with a person when “the other person’s ability to resist or consent is substantially impaired because of mental or physical condition…”

The original complaint filed in area court states that “Cristescu video recorded himself having vaginal sex with an unconscious female.”

All the charges, including voyeurism, involve one victim, Butler County Assistant Prosecutor Kelly Heile told this news outlet.

She declined to disclose the age of the victim, but confirmed it is an adult.

Each voyeurism charge coincides with an image allegedly taken by Cristescu of the victim, according to Heile.

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Cristescu was initially charged with the felony crimes on Oct. 25 in Area I Court, but those charges were dismissed by the prosecutor. The evidence was then presented to a Butler County grand jury, which returned the 13-charge indictment on Nov. 1.

Cristescu was arraigned last week by Butler County Common Pleas Judge Michael Oster, who set bond at $75,000.

Cristescu is scheduled to be back in court Nov. 27 for a pre-trial hearing.

Claire Wagner, director of Miami University news and communications, confirmed to this news outlet that Cristescu is registered as a Miami University student.

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On Oct. 20, Cristescu was charged with drug abuse (marijuana) and five counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor, a misdemeanor, according to Butler County Area I Court records.

A report from Miami University Police states that on Oct. 13 “Cristescu was was found to be in possession of obscene images involving a female minor. The female minor was 16 years old when the images were created and originally received by Cristescu from the female minor in 2014.”

On Oct. 20, Cristescu was arrested and declined to speak to officers, according to the police report obtained by this news outlet.

He pleaded guilty to the drug charge and to one count of an amended charge of disseminating material harmful to juvenile, also a misdemeanor.

He is scheduled to be sentenced next month on those charges.

As part of that investigation, Heile said detectives began looking at Cristescu’s phone, which led to the additional charges.

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