sexual assault

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Admitted Rapist's Sentence Falls Below State Guidelines

Judge said case wouldn't have been possible without Ian Cleary's eventual 'contrition'

(Newser) - A man who sent a Facebook message that said, "So I raped you," to a woman he later pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting on a Pennsylvania college campus was sentenced to two to four years in prison on Monday. The judge took into account Ian Cleary's guilty...

Man Who Faked His Death to Avoid Rape Charges Convicted
Rapist Who Faked His Death
Gets 5 Years to Life
UPDATED
Oct 20, 2025 5:50 PM CDT

Rapist Who Faked His Death Gets 5 Years to Life

Nicholas Rossi will face another sentencing in Utah next month

(Newser) - A Utah judge on Monday sentenced a man who appeared to fake his own death and flee the US to avoid arrest on rape charges to anywhere from five years to life in prison. Nicholas Rossi, 38, is "a serial abuser of women" and "the very definition of...

Matlock Actor David Del Rio Fired After Alleged Assault

Co-star Leah Lewis reportedly made the complaint

(Newser) - David Del Rio, a regular on the CBS legal drama Matlock, has been dismissed from the show after being accused of sexually assaulting fellow cast member Leah Lewis, reports Deadline . The alleged incident took place in Lewis' trailer on Sept. 26, and Del Rio was removed from the set...

Uber Prevails in Landmark Driver Assault Trial

Case is first of hundreds challenging company's handling of sexual assaults

(Newser) - A California jury has found Uber not liable in the first US trial over driver sexual assault claims, setting a precedent for hundreds of similar lawsuits and putting the company's safety practices under renewed scrutiny. The plaintiff, identified in court as Jessica C., alleged that her 2016 ride...

Combs' Ex-Stylist Has a Long List of Complaints

Deonte Nash sues, alleging sexual assault, death threats, and more

(Newser) - A former stylist for Sean "Diddy" Combs has filed a new lawsuit alleging years of sexual abuse, violence, and manipulation during his decade-long employment with the music mogul. Deonte Nash, who worked for Combs from around 2008 to 2018, accuses Combs and his label, Bad Boy Entertainment, of...

Depardieu to Face Rape Claim in New Trial

Actor Charlotte Arnould accuses him of raping her twice at his Paris home in 2018

(Newser) - Gerard Depardieu, the French actor convicted in May of sexually assaulting two actors on a film set in 2021, has apparently not seen his final day in court. Fellow French actor Charlotte Arnould, 29, said Tuesday on Instagram that Depardieu, 76, will soon face trial for allegedly raping her in...

Female Cyclist's Murder Rocks Amsterdam

Asylum-seeker is suspected in 17-year-old's killing and a separate sexual assault

(Newser) - Amsterdam is on edge after the late-night stabbing death of a 17-year-old girl as she cycled home from a night out—a routine many had long considered safe. The killing has rattled the city's sense of security, especially among young women, who now say they're rethinking solo...

Man Who Tried to Rape 7-Year-Old Agrees to Castration

Louisiana's Thomas Allen McCartney takes plea deal, agrees to be castrated

(Newser) - A Louisiana man who admitted he tried to rape a young child has agreed to be physically and chemically castrated. KPLC reports that 37-year-old Thomas Allen McCartney acquiesced to the procedure as part of a plea deal, which also includes his acceptance of a 40-year sentence in state prison, according...

Norwegian Royal's Son Hit With 32 Charges, Including Rape

Trial is expected next year for Marius Borg Hoiby

(Newser) - Marius Borg Hoiby, the son of Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit and stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, is facing a lengthy list of criminal charges, including four counts of rape, Norwegian prosecutors announced on Monday. Hoiby, 28, who doesn't hold a royal title or a place in the...

Uber Gets Report of Sexual Misconduct Every 8 Minutes

Records reveal thousands more incidents than the company has ever reported

(Newser) - Uber, long touting itself as a safe way to get around, dealt with a sexual assault or misconduct report in the US about every eight minutes from 2017 to 2022, the New York Times reports based on newly unsealed court records related to large-scale litigation against the company. That'...

Rising Film Star in UK Charged With Rape

Eddington 's Micheael Ward is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in January 2023

(Newser) - British actor Micheal Ward has been charged with rape and sexual assault, police said Friday. The Metropolitan Police force said the 27-year-old faces two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault. The charges relate to one woman, and the offenses reportedly took place in January 2023, per the...

Hockey Players Acquitted in Sexual Assault Case

Judge says prosecutors didn't meet onus of proof

(Newser) - An Ontario judge acquitted five former members of Canada's world junior hockey team on Thursday in their sexual assault case , saying the complainant's allegations lacked the credibility needed to justify the charges, the AP reports. Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia said prosecutors could not meet the onus of...

FBI Agent Guilty of Raping Women at His Tattoo Studio

Prosecutors say Eduardo Valdivia used his skills to prey upon vulnerable young women

(Newser) - An FBI agent who moonlighted as a tattoo artist with the alias "Lalo Brown" has been found guilty of raping three women—ages 18, 20, and 21—who were lured to his Maryland tattoo studio with promises of free tattoos and modeling work. Eduardo Valdivia, 41 "selected systematically...

US Marine Hears His Fate in Japan in Sexual Assault Case

Lance Cpl. Jamel Clayton, 22, of Ohio gets 7 years after May 2024 attack on Okinawa

(Newser) - A Japanese court has found a US Marine guilty of sexually assaulting a woman on Okinawa and sentenced him to seven years in prison, per the AP . The Naha District Court said Lance Cpl. Jamel Clayton, 22, of Ohio, was sentenced on Tuesday after being found guilty of attacking a...

Actor Accuses Tyler Perry of Sexual Harassment, Assault

Derek Dixon's $260M lawsuit alleges actor used career promises to silence his accuser

(Newser) - Tyler Perry is facing a $260 million lawsuit over allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault by a former actor on one of his BET shows. In court documents filed last week in Los Angeles, actor and screenwriter Derek Dixon accuses Perry of making repeated unwanted advances, attempting to...

Weinstein: I 'Acted Immorally' but Didn't Break the Law

In rare new interview, disgraced movie mogul says he has 'regrets' over his actions

(Newser) - No verdict was returned on Friday in Harvey Weinstein's sex crimes retrial , meaning juror deliberations will pick up again on Monday. In the meantime, the disgraced movie mogul and already-convicted sex offender granted a rare interview that aired on Friday, explaining some of his "regrets," per Variety...

Russell Brand Gets a 2026 Trial Date

He pleads not guilty to rape, sexual assault in London court appearance

(Newser) - Russell Brand has a year to prepare for his rape trial. In a brief court appearance in London on Friday, the comedian and actor pleaded not guilty to one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault, CNN reports....

Judge Sets Free Man in Jail for 378 Years

Ajay Dev's conviction overturned after judge finds strong evidence of false rape claims

(Newser) - A California man sentenced to 378 years in prison for repeatedly sexually assaulting his adopted daughter has walked free after a judge cited strong evidence that the allegations were made up. The daughter sought to punish Ajay Dev, who ultimately served 16 years, and improve her own chances of remaining...

As Weinstein Accuser Left the Stand, a Look, Then 'Gurgling'

Disgraced movie mogul's medical episode came after Jessica Mann demanded he look at her

(Newser) - Taking the stand in Harvey Weinstein's sexual assault retrial in New York on Monday, former actor Jessica Mann recounted the alleged 2013 rape for which the movie mogul is charged, noting he held a hotel room door shut to prevent her from leaving. On Tuesday, she returned to the...

Smokey Robinson Now Is Under Criminal Investigation

Lawyers for Motown star says he'll cooperate, as do lawyers for women who accuse him of rape

(Newser) - After being accused of rape in a lawsuit, Smokey Robinson now is under criminal investigation. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department made the announcement Thursday, saying the investigation is in its early stages, NBC News reports. Lawyers for the four former housekeepers who sued Robinson said the women welcome...

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