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Graffius guilty of rape

LISBON — Following two days of testimony, a Columbiana County Common Pleas Court jury pronounced Robert Graffius guilty of rape Wednesday morning.

The jury had resumed deliberations on Wednesday after being unable to reach a decision following the closing arguments late Tuesday afternoon. In all, the jury deliberated for about three and a half hours.

Graffius, 41, Orlo Lane, Boardman, who is facing up to 11 years in prison, will return for a sentencing hearing before Judge Scott Washam on Monday afternoon.

Graffius was charged with rape for forcefully sexually assaulting a woman whom he had known for about a month or so. They had met at a Columbiana restaurant and bar location and the woman testified she believed he was her friend. They had communicated often since that day, hung out together, but usually with other people around several times.

However, on June 6, 2017, after drinking beer with him at his apartment, the woman testified she was raped. What began with him groping her and refusing to listen when she told him to stop eventually ended in him grabbing her, throwing her onto the bed, holding her down and raping her.

Graffius had also testified during the trial. Although he had told investigators who questioned him right after the assault that he did not have sex with the woman at all, during the jury trial he called what happened between them consensual sex.

djohnson@mojonews.com

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