(Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection - Court Reports)

ATHENS, Ohio — A Virginia man was convicted on a rape charge in Athens County earlier this month.

The Athens County Prosecutors Office reported that Andres Sagastume, 23, of Chantilly, Va., was found guilty Jan. 9 on a first-degree felony charge of rape.

The verdict was returned following three days of evidence and one day of jury deliberation, the press release said.

Sagastume is scheduled to be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday by Judge Patrick Lang.

Sagastume was a football player from West Virginia State University visiting Athens on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, when he sexually assaulted an Ohio University student he had previously met in her apartment in the early morning hours of Aug. 25, 2024.

The prosecution called 10 witnesses during the trial, followed by two defense witnesses, including Sagastume. The prosecution followed with one rebuttal witness.

The case was investigated by the Athens City Police Department, with assistance from the Kanawha County WV Sheriff’s Department and the Athens County Prosecutor’s Office Secret Service. The state was represented by Chief Assistant Prosecutor Liz Pepper and Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Sanderson and the defendant by Sam Shamansky.