SHEFFIELD LAKE, Ohio — Odin Rathnam, a Sheffield Lake resident and former Cleveland State University violinist, has been charged with child rape.
Police say the 58-year-old was arrested at his Northeast Ohio home after the Lower Paxton Bureau of Police in Pennsylvania issued an arrest warrant on numerous sexual assault charges.
According to officials, the alleged incidents happened with a child under the age of 10 over the course of several years in multiple locations throughout Dauphin County and other areas of Pennsylvania.
Rathnam is facing the following charges:
- 3 counts of rape of a child
- 3 counts of rape of a child - serious bodily injury
- 1 count of statutory sexual assault: 11 years older
- 1 count of IDSI person less than 16 years of age
- 1 count of sexual assault
- 1 count of agg. indecent assault of child
- 1 count of aggravated indecent assault of child
- 1 count of indecent assault without cons of other
- 1 count of indecent assault person less than 13 years of age
- 1 count of mind assault person less 16 years of age
- 1 count of indecent exposure
- 1 count of corruption of minors
- 1 count of corruption of minors - defendant age 18 or above
- 2 counts of corruption of minors - defendant age 18 or above
- 5 counts of unlawful contact with minor - sexual offenses
According to the affidavit of probable cause, the victim suffered numerous physical/medical issues following Rathnam's abuse. The alleged incidents took place between 2008 and 2019.
Additionally, police say that "multiple conversations were legally recorded between Mr. Rathnam and the victim."
He is currently being held at the Dauphin County Prison and was denied bail during an arraignment hearing on Wednesday, July 24.
Most recently, Rathnam worked at Cleveland State University, which issued the following statement to WKYC's sister station WPMT in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, regarding Rathnam's charges:
"Cleveland State University has been made aware by authorities in Pennsylvania of an investigation into allegations of sexual assault against Odin Rathnam in Pennsylvania and Northeast Ohio. According to law enforcement, these allegations do not involve a CSU student, nor did the alleged incidents happen on CSU's campus.
"Rathnam is no longer employed at Cleveland State, and the University will fully cooperate as needed with authorities in Pennsylvania and Sheffield Lake as they investigate."
Anyone with information regarding this case or Rathman has been asked to contact Detective Jeffery Corcoran with the Lower Paxton Bureau of Police at 717-657-5656 or email jcorcoran@lowerpaxton-pa.gov.
EDITOR'S NOTE: WPMT contributed to this story.