Apple changes plea to guilty, sentenced

The suspect in an assault last March in Ohio University's Seigfred Hall was sentenced Oct. 19 in Athens County Common Pleas court.

Oren R. Apple, 23, formerly of Athens, changed his plea to guilty in a hearing last Friday. He originally pleaded not guilty. Apple attempted to change his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity but then pleaded guilty, said C. David Warren, Athens County prosecuting attorney.

Apple was charged with two counts of kidnapping and one count of attempted rape, according to court records.

Apple was sentenced to seven years in prison for the two counts of kidnapping. The attempted rape charge, a second-degree felony punishable by up to eight years in prison, was dismissed, Warren said. Apple's kidnapping charges were merged into one sentence because they stemmed from the same activity.

Kidnapping charges, first-degree felonies, are punishable by as many as 10 years in prison.

Apple's charges stemmed from a March 30 incident in Seigfred Hall in which he assaulted a female art student, according to court records.

James Wallace, Apple's attorney, declined to comment.

– Stephanie Corbin