4 Teens Charged In Sex Assault: 15-Year-Old’s Assault Videotaped On Cellphone

Four teens are charged in a sex assault against a 15-year-old girl in New Jersey. The alleged assault of the intoxicated teen was apparently recorded on a cellphone by one of the teens charged. Three of the teens charged with aggravated sexual assault are 18-year-olds, and the fourth is 17.

CBS New York reports that the incident that led to four teens being charged in the sexual assault is said to have taken place in June near the girl’s Elmwood Park home. The girl’s parents found her unconscious on the front lawn, and they took her to the hospital. Tests showed that she was highly intoxicated.

About three weeks later, the family and a friend approached the police indicating that they believed the girl had been engaged in sexual activity that night during a backyard gathering, but that she could not remember it. According to NBC Philadelphia, a friend of the girl said she had seen a videotape of her having sex with the male teens. It seems a 17-year-old male acquaintance told her that they had been together that night, and she learned that the cellphone recording showed her having sex with three different people in the encounter.

Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli says that his office has reviewed the videotape. He notes that, “We believe because of the alcohol that she ingested, there’s just no way that she could form any type of consent to have sex with these men and we believe the men took advantage of that.” The three 18-year-olds charged are Ashari Wilson, Craig Howe and Justin Draper. The 17-year-old is being charged as a juvenile and faces charges of resisting arrest and assault on a police officer in addition to the aggravated sexual assault charge.

Wilson also faces charges of invasion of privacy, hindering apprehension, child endangerment, and manufacturing child pornography. Wilson is said to be the suspect who filmed the encounter. NJ adds that the girl’s blood alcohol level reportedly was 0.27, which is more than three times the legal limit for adults. It seems the gathering had taken place at the home of Wilson and Howe.

The case is already reminding some of the infamous Steubenville case, and it seems to have similarities to the recent rape case that led to the disturbing “Jada pose” social media story as well. Reports indicate that the four teens charged in the sex assault case are in custody, and it is clear there is a long road ahead for everybody involved in this case.

[Image via CBS New York]