Plea talks underway for Miami University student facing 13 sex charges

Despite ongoing plea negotiations for a Miami University student facing 13 sex charges, his trial is still scheduled to begin next month.

Nicolas Cristescu, 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 for crimes that are alleged to have occurred between Oct. 11 and Oct. 12.

FIRST REPORT: Miami University student indicted on 13 sex charges, including rape

Cristescu, 20, of Cleveland, appeared Monday before Butler County Common Pleas Judge Michael Oster. His attorney Steven Kilburn indicated he is talking with the prosecutor’s office about a possible plea.

Cristescu’s trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 9.

Cristescu is free on $75,000 bond that was posted late last month.

His attorney told the judge when bond was set that Cristescu has no prior record and is a finance student at Miami University.

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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 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 previously told this news outlet.

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.

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.”

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

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