OSU abuse accuser gets probation
A former Ohio State University wrestler, the first per- son to bring sex-abuse alle- gations against a former OSU team doctor, was placed on probation Friday for harass- ing a university employee by email.
The Columbus Dispatch reports Michael H. DiSabato, 50, pleaded no contest in Franklin County Municipal Court to one misdemeanor count of telecommunications harassment.
Judge Ted Barrows imposed two years of probation, a $250 fine and court costs and ordered him to have no contact with former OSU football player Matthew Finkes, who works for the university. The sentence was recommend by prose- cuting and defense attorneys as part of a plea agreement.
DiSabato was charged in July with nine misdemeanor counts of telecommunications harassment. He was accused of sending a series of emails to Finkes, who had asked DiSabato not to contact him.
On Dec. 27, the Columbus city attorney’s office asked for DiSabato’s bond to be revoked, alleging that he had violated a court order by sending emails mentioning Finkes to university officials. He was arrested Jan. 7 for failing to show up for a bond hearing.
Barrows suspended a 180day jail term as part of the sentence, but said it can be imposed if DiSabato violates probation.
DiSabato has been among the most vocal of many athletes who say they were molested by Dr. Richard Strauss, who worked as a team doctor in a number of sports at Ohio State and was a physician for student health services in the 1990s. Strauss killed himself in 2005.
This is the second telecommunications harassment case filed against DiSabato in the past year. In October, he was fined $1,000 following a conviction for the offense in Marysville Municipal Court. That case stemmed from text messages he sent to Bret Adams, a local sports agent.