Ashley Rison, a former New Miami softball coach may spend five years in prison and might have to register as a sex offender after allegations that she had sex with a 17-year-old student. Butler County Court records indicated that Rison pleaded guilty Wednesday to accusations of sexual battery and gross sexual imposition.
During her trial, Rison also faced charges of tampering with evidence and furnishing alcohol to a minor, which were dropped.
10 KWTX reported that according to the indictment, Rison participated in sexual acts with the student eight times in April 2021. She quit her job at New Miami on May 3, 2021, the same day the allegations were forwarded to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office. Also, Assistant Prosecutor Lindsay Sheehan said that in addition to what the child said, they have recordings between Rison and the child. In the recordings, Rison makes numerous incriminating remarks in asking, begging the child not to report her.
The 31-year-old former softball coach admitted to being guilty of charges of sexual battery, a third-degree felony, and two counts of gross sexual imposition, both fourth-degree felonies.
Journal News reported that Rison faces a maximum of eight years in jail. She will be designated as a Tier-III sexual offender which will require her to register her residence with the sheriff for the rest of her life. She is free after posting 10% of a $10,000 bond. She will also wear a GPS monitor.
Butler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser stated that there was only a single victim and the prosecutor’s office is not alleging rape by force. Rison will be back in court on Nov. 16 for sentencing, Fox 19 reported.
The New Miami Local School Board in Hamilton hired Rison on August 2015 as a paraprofessional and a coach. She coached girls in softball and basketball at New Miami High School in Hamilton, where she also functioned as a teacher’s aide. Then, on March 2021, she allegedly furnished a New Miami High School student and softball player, then 17, with alcohol. She allegedly engaged in sexual conduct multiple times with the underage New Miami High School student in April 2021.
Rison was arrested by the authorities on Jan. 26, 2022, and was booked into the Butler County Jail in Hamilton.
