WARREN COUNTY, Ohio. — Former reality TV personality Tony McCollister was found guilty Thursday of raping a 5-year-old child following a three-day bench trial in Warren County.
Judge Robert Peeler found McCollister guilty of one count of rape, three counts of gross sexual imposition and two counts of endangering children. McCollister had previously pleaded guilty to charges involving bestiality and child sexual abuse material.
WATCH: Former reality TV personality found guilty of rape, child sex-related charges in Warren County
The verdict came one week after McCollister's former girlfriend, Erica Grove, was found not guilty of raping the same child, though she was convicted on other charges.
Peeler, who presided over both bench trials, said he reviewed thousands of text messages exchanged between McCollister and Grove. In announcing his verdict, the judge said the key difference between the two cases was McCollister's confessions during interviews with prosecutors.
"The state has acknowledged that this was based in part on fantasy, so the challenge for the court was to separate the fact from the fantasy," Peeler said. "There were volumes of text messages which were repulsive and certainly create an urge to lash out."
According to the verdict:
- Count 1, rape: Not guilty
- Count 2, rape: Guilty
- Count 3, rape: Not guilty
- Count 4, rape: Not guilty
- Count 5, gross sexual imposition: Guilty
- Count 6, gross sexual imposition: Guilty
- Count 7, gross sexual imposition: Guilty
- Count 8, gross sexual imposition: Not guilty
- Count 9, gross sexual imposition: Not guilty
- Count 10, endangering children: Not guilty
- Count 11, corrupting another with drugs: Not guilty. The judge noted no drugs were found in the child's system.
- Count 12, endangering children: Guilty
- Count 13, endangering children: Guilty
Counts 14 through 16 were previously resolved by guilty pleas. Counts 27 through 30 also previously resulted in findings of guilt.
McCollister and Grove are scheduled to be sentenced together in November.
McCollister was a personality on an A&E show titled: “Neighbors with Benefits.” The show canceled after only airing two episodes, according to IMDB.
