Ohio woman who livestreamed rape of teen gets 9 months in prison

COLUMBUS (AP) – An Ohio woman accused of livestreaming images of a man raping a 17-year-old girl has been sentenced to nine months in prison.

Nineteen-year-old Marina Lonina was sentenced Monday in Columbus after pleading guilty to one count of obstructing justice under a deal with prosecutors. She initially faced other charges, including rape and pandering sexual matter involving a minor.

Authorities alleged that she used the social media app Periscope to livestream the assault last February.

Defense attorney Sam Shamansky tells The Columbus Dispatch that Lonina admitted to failing to report the rape or turn over her evidence afterward.

The 29-year-old rape suspect, Raymond Gates, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nine years in prison.

The victim alleged that Lonina set up the rape. Shamansky calls that allegation “unmitigated nonsense.”