Clark County man pleads guilty to attempted abduction in Logan County: Sentencing delayed

Brandon Murray

Brandon Murray

A Clark County resident and Xenia teacher who pleaded guilty to a charge in Logan County had a sentencing date pushed this week.

Brandon Murray pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted abduction in Logan County Common Pleas Court, according to online records. He was set to be sentenced today but instead will face sentencing in September.

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Five other counts against him, including rape, were dismissed in the case as part of a plea agreement. Murray’s attorney, John Meehling, did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Murray is accused of sexually assaulting a 25-year-old woman — an acquaintance of Murray and his wife — after a night of drinking in June 2017 at Froggy’s swim-up bar at Indian Lake.

In March, a trial against Murray ended in mistrial after a jury could not reach a verdict.

Murray’s accuser was part of a group that traveled to Logan County and had all been drinking at Froggy’s, 11065 County Road 293 in Lakeview. At the end of the night, the woman was “extremely intoxicated” and was sitting in a vehicle with Murray and his wife waiting for the rest of the group and the designated driver, police said.

Murray’s wife passed out, and police say the alleged crime occurred during a 10-minute period of time before the group’s return to the vehicle.

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The woman reported the incident to authorities a little more than a month later. Murray disputed the allegations and told investigators his interaction with the woman was consensual, according to court documents.

Murray is a teacher at the Miami Valley Juvenile Rehabilitation Center in Xenia, employed by Xenia Community Schools. Superintendent Gabriel Lofton said Murray was placed on an indefinite leave of absence Oct. 19.

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