Former Ohio State diving club coach William Bohonyi plead guilty to two charges of sexual battery with an underage diver Thursday in court.
Bohonyi was indicted on three counts of sexual battery and one count of sexual pandering in November 2018, and pleaded not guilty in December.
The former assistant coach was first accused of coercing the 16-year-old to engage in sex acts in July 2014.
“Even though the conduct was not forcible, it was consensual. It still was a crime because he was a coach at the swim club and she was a diver,” Ron O’Brien, Franklin County prosecutor, said.
Prosecutors agreed to drop the sexual pandering charge, which was for recording sexual acts with a minor, if Bohonyi accepted a plea deal, O’Brien said.
O’Brien said Bohonyi will face up to 10 years in jail due to the two third-degree felony accounts of sexual battery, each of which hold up to a five-year sentence.
Bohonyi was fired by Ohio State in August 2014 after an investigation found that he convinced the minor to lie about their relationship.
The case was reopened in January 2018 when the diver contacted university police.
Former Ohio State diving club head coach John Appleman was placed on administrative leave following a class-action lawsuit filed in July 2018 that alleged Appleman knew of Bohonyi’s relationship with the diver. That lawsuit led to criminal charges in the state of Ohio.
Ohio State was initially indicated as a defendant in the lawsuit, but was dismissed in August 2018.
Bohonyi awaits sentencing on Aug. 12.
