College student who made false rape claims sentenced to a year in prison

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Former Sacred Heart University student Nikki Yovino, who accused two football players of raping her, has been sentenced to a year in jail after pleading guilty in June to making a false accusation.

Vocino, 21, who willingly engaged in sexual activities with two football players in 2016 and then later accused them of rape, was sentenced Thursday in Bridgeport Superior Court, The Associated Press reported.

She pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of falsely reporting an incident and interfering with police, according to the AP.

The football players, who were never arrested, both withdrew from school during the investigation, and one said in court Thursday that his life was ruined forever by the false accusation.

(Original story)

The 19-year-old is set to face two years in prison because her accusation was falsified, reports the Connecticut Post. She was also said to have tampered with or fabricated physical evidence.

“I think the offer is a good one considering the serious allegations in the case,” said Superior Court Judge Earl Richards.

Yovino said the two unidentified men pulled her into a bathroom and raped her, police said. The men reportedly admitted to engaging in sexual activity with her but said the encounter was consensual.

According to the affidavit, Yovino "admitted that she made up the allegation of sexual assault against (the football players) because it was the first thing that came to mind, and she didn’t want to lose (another male student) as a friend and potential boyfriend."

Agustin Sevillano, the football players’ lawyer, said, “This has just been a nightmare for them.”

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