An Ohio State employee has been arrested on two first-degree felony charges.
Christopher “Stewart” Kitchen was arrested on Wednesday on charges of kidnapping and rape, according to Franklin County Municipal Court online records. The offense occurred on April 16, the records stated.
Kitchen, 28, a former drum major for the OSU marching band, is employed as the drum major instructor for the band.
Kitchen is set to have an arraignment on Thursday morning.
OSU has placed Kitchen on administrative leave and has launched “its own internal investigation in accordance with university policy,” the university said in an emailed statement Wednesday evening.
“The university is deeply concerned to learn of criminal allegations against one of our employees of kidnapping and sexual assault,” the statement said. “He was taken into custody today by law enforcement officials, and we will continue to assist them in their efforts. Since this is an ongoing law enforcement investigation, the university is limited in its ability to provide additional comment at this time.”
Clarification: May 1, 2015
In addition to his job as the marching band drum major instructor, Kitchen was also listed as a lecturer in the School of Music in the university FindPeople database. His name has since been removed.
