Victims of Ronald Stevens sue Ottawa Hills School District following conviction

OTTAWA HILLS, Ohio (WTVG) - Several people are currently suing the Ottawa Hills Local School District as well as former janitor Ronald Stevens and his wife after Stevens was convicted of multiple counts of rape in late 2021. In the suit, which was filed by several victims, the plaintiffs are accusing the district of failing to take necessary measures to protect students from Stevens while he was employed by the district.

In the court filing from late December, the plaintiffs claim that Stevens engaged in inappropriate conversations with some of them while they were students via the social media platform Snapchat. The suit claims Stevens sent messages of a sexual nature, some of which they say were brought to the attention of school administrators, but they say the district failed to engage in an investigation of Stevens or inform students or parents of students involved in the complaint. Because of these actions, the documents claim, the district put young boys, including the plaintiffs, in danger.

An additional accusation includes claims that the district pressured the parent of one of the plaintiffs to allow Stevens to tutor him, and that they sign paperwork appointing Stevens his guardian. The suit claims that the district did this despite and with knowledge of the previous concerns of other parents.

In addition to the accusations against the district, the suit also names Stevens for his direct involvement and his wife, Kristie Stevens, for failing to report the Stevens abuse of students. As a teacher in the district, Kristie Stevens is a mandatory report of such abuses under state law.

The suit seeks damages in the amount of at least $25,000 for each count, equaling at least $300,000 for all 12 counts.

Stevens was convicted of 31 charges ranging from rape to pandering obscenity involving a minor in September and was sentenced to 101 years in prison a month later.

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