COLUMBUS (WCMH) – A former Ohio State University drum major was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to sexual battery.
Stewart Kitchen pleaded guilty to one count of sexual battery in May. Kitchen was originally charged with two counts of rape and an additional sexual battery charge, but those charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
The full sentence includes 36 months in prison, five years probation and he must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
Kitchen led the band as head drum major in 2006-07. He was a drum major instructor in 2015, teaching the leaders of the marching band.
Court documents allege Kitchen and a 19-year-old woman went out drinking in April of 2015, then walked to his Columbus home. The woman reported that Kitchen refused to return her to her home and sexually assaulted her in his bedroom as she tried to escape and told him to stop, an investigator said in an affidavit filed in court.
The victim in the case read a statement in court just before the sentencing.
“That night, I laid there frozen in fear, in trauma as my coach disobeyed my request and raped me. I said ‘no.’ No means no. I said ‘take me home.’ That means take me home. I said, ‘I’m not comfortable with this.’ I said, ‘do not have sex with me.'”
Kitchen turned to the victim in court.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I am sorry I truly didn’t mean to put you through that.”
In an interview with NBC4, the victim said she hopes Kitchen “can learn from what he did.”
“I sit here damaged and broken and it’s his fault,” she said.
“I’ll prevail from this. Things will move forward. Of course, it’s going to be something that sticks with me for the rest of my life.”
NBC4 contacted Stewart kitchen’s attorney for comment on his client’s sentencing….NBC4 has not yet received a response.
Kitchen’s attorney says the 29-year-old has taken responsibility for what happened and has been remorseful. The lawyer says Kitchen has an otherwise exemplary background, including extensive community involvement in Kenton, where he grew up.The Associated Press contributed to this report.What others are clicking on: