An 18-year-old girl in Ohio has been charged with livestreaming the sexual assault of her 17-year-old friend on the social media site Periscope.
Marina Lonina was indicted Wednesday by the Franklin County Prosecutor along with her co-defendant Raymond Gates, 29, for one count of kidnapping, two counts of rape, one count of sexual battery and three counts of pandering sexually-oriented material involving a minor.
Lonina is also charged with two counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material or a performance, including an accusation that she photographed the victim naked the night before the alleged rape.
The 17-year-old girl was drinking with Lonina and Gates when the alleged rape happened at a Columbus residence on February 27.
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien said authorities were alerted by a friend of Lonina’s in another state who saw the livestream on Periscope.
Lonina’s attorney Josh Bedtelyon said the teenager “categorically denies these charges”, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.
READ MORE: ‘It is un-American’: Nearly 6 million US citizens with felony convictions can’t vote
Gates is scheduled for arraignment Friday. The defendants face more than 40 years in prison each if convicted of the charges, according to O’Brien.
“People need to know and understand that the use of a smartphone to video events can constitute serious felony crimes,” O’Brien said.
“They should think twice before they use their smartphones to either photograph or video anything that’s of a sexual nature.”