Student accused of false rape allegations claims mental illness

Nikki Yovino in Bridgeport Superior Court in March. Yovino is charged with second-degree falsely reporting an incident and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. Nikki Yovino in Bridgeport Superior Court in March. Yovino is charged with second-degree falsely reporting an incident and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. Photo: Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media Buy photo Photo: Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close Student accused of false rape allegations claims mental illness 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

BRIDGEPORT - The former Sacred Heart University student accused of making up rape allegations against two football players to gain sympathy from a prospective boyfriend filed an application in court Friday contending she was suffering from a psychiatric disability.

It will be up to a judge to decide whether to grant 19-year-old Nikki Yovino a pretrial diversionary program that could result in the charges being dismissed against Yovino at a hearing set for Sept. 8. Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Craig Nowak said he is going to object.

Under the Supervised Diversionary Program, the Long Island resident will undergo a psychological evaluation at Southwest Community Mental Health Center. A report of that evaluation will then be sent to a judge who will determine following a hearing whether Yovino is eligible for the program. If she successfully completes the program the charges against her will be dismissed.

Standing before Superior Court Judge Kevin Doyle Friday morning, Yovino raised her right hand and swore to tell the truth.

“I’m Nikki Yovino,” she told the judge. Asked if she had previously participated in a diversionary program she shook her head no.

The prosecutor told the judge that he and Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Tatiana Messina had previously offered Yovino a plea of two years in prison, followed by three years’ probation.

“If the court grants the program application than that offer is moot, but if it denies it then I will be asking that she either accept that offer or reject it and go to trial,” Nowak said.

Agustin Sevillano, the lawyer for the now-former football players, who are not being identified, described what his clients went through as a result of Yovino’s rape allegations. They were scheduled for a school disciplinary hearing but, on the advice of legal council, agreed instead to withdraw from the university rather than face the chance of being expelled and having that on their records. He said one of his clients lost a football scholarship. They have also had to live with the stigma of being accused rapists, he said.

Yovino, who left Sacred Heart, is charged with second-degree falsely reporting an incident and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.

The tampering charge is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

On Oct. 15, police were dispatched to St. Vincent’s Medical Center for a sexual assault complaint. Police said Yovino told them she had attended a Sacred Heart football club party the night before at a house at Lakeside Drive.

Police said the girl claimed the two men pulled her into a bathroom in the basement of the house.

“I don’t want to be in here, I don’t want to do anything. My friends are waiting for me outside, let me go outside,” police said she claims she told the men.

Police said she claimed the men held her down and each took a turn sexually assaulting her.

Both men admitted having sex with Yovino in the bathroom, but said it was consensual, oolice said.

Det. Walberto Cotto Jr. later questioned Yovino again after others students told them it appeared Yovino had gone willingly into the bathroom with the men.

One student said he had overheard Yovino telling the men she wanted to have sex with them, the arrest affidavit states.

“She admitted that she made up the allegation of sexual assault against (the football players) because it was the first thing that came to mind and she didn’t want to lose (another male student) as a friend and potential boyfriend. She stated that she believed when (the other male student) heard the allegation it would make him angry and sympathetic to her,” the affidavit states.