Prosecutors say an Ohio State student traveled to pick up the girl and later told her to erase messages.
ATHENS, OH — A judge set a $500,000 bond for an Ohio State University student accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl after prosecutors said he used social media to contact her, provided her marijuana and arranged to meet her in southeast Ohio.
The case has drawn quick responses from the university and a local school district tied to the suspect’s education work. The student, 21-year-old Anthony Bokar, faces felony charges including unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, tampering with evidence and corrupting another with drugs. Authorities say they are still reviewing digital evidence, and court hearings are scheduled in the coming days as investigators sort through phones and messages described in court records and in statements read in court.
Prosecutors told the court that Bokar and the girl began communicating on Snapchat and that the relationship escalated from messaging to an in-person meeting. Court documents described investigators’ belief that Bokar bought and delivered marijuana to the girl in Franklin County and later made plans to travel to pick her up. Prosecutors said Bokar drove to her home, took her to the campus of Hocking College and engaged in sexual acts with her, including oral sex and vaginal intercourse. They also alleged he asked the girl to send feet photographs in exchange for money, an allegation repeated in court as part of the narrative prosecutors offered while arguing for a high bond.
In the bond hearing, prosecutors said the investigation is ongoing and that they are still examining what they described as evidence found on Bokar’s phone. Court records and statements described the alleged communications and raised concerns about whether additional juveniles may have been contacted. In court, prosecutors said they had been informed that Bokar was soliciting pictures from other juvenile girls around the same age as the alleged victim. Bokar was charged with one count each of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, corrupting another with drugs and tampering with evidence, according to court records referenced by local reporting. Neither Bokar nor his attorney could be reached for comment by a campus news outlet that reported the case details and the university’s response.
The allegations also intersected with Bokar’s education-related work and prompted messages to families. Local reporting said Bokar’s online resume described him as a student teacher at Pickerington Central High School, and the Pickerington Local School District said he would not be returning to the district. Jacqueline Bryant, the district’s director of public relations, said in an email that once law enforcement notified the district of its intent to arrest Bokar, the district’s safety and security director coordinated with administrators to escort him to a discreet location away from students so he could be transferred to law enforcement. The district also shared a letter from Pickerington Central High School Principal Roshawn Parker that said officers came to the building to remove a student teacher because of allegations reported to authorities and that the situation did not disrupt the school day.
Ohio State also moved quickly to separate Bokar from campus while the case proceeds. University spokesperson Ben Johnson said in a statement that the allegations were “extremely concerning” and that Bokar had been placed on interim suspension. Johnson said the student was not allowed on campus or to take part in university engagements, including student teaching assignments. “Nothing is more important than the safety of our campus community, and we will assist law enforcement in any way needed,” Johnson said, adding that the university could not comment further because of the ongoing investigation. The statements did not describe how long the interim suspension would last or whether the university had begun a separate internal review beyond the steps limiting the student’s access.
Family members described a sharp change in the girl’s behavior before the allegations surfaced publicly. A television station that obtained court documents reported speaking with the girl’s father, who said his daughter was placed on suicide watch after a mental breakdown at school. He said she then told her family about what he described as an inappropriate relationship. The father described his daughter as a middle school cheerleader and said the alleged contact involved gifts of drugs and money. In an emotional moment, he said he felt he failed to protect her. His comments offered a glimpse of the personal toll of the allegations while investigators and the court system address the criminal case.
The legal process is now moving through early hearings. Bokar was arraigned Thursday, and his bond was set at $500,000, according to court records cited by local outlets. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 23, a step in which the court considers whether there is enough evidence to move the case forward. Prosecutors have also signaled that digital evidence remains central, with investigators continuing to review phones, messages and other material described in court filings. It was not immediately clear whether additional charges could be filed later, or whether prosecutors would seek changes to bond conditions based on what they find.
Some of the key questions remain unresolved as the case advances: how the initial contact began, what messages and images may exist beyond those already described, and whether any other minors were contacted. Court documents described prosecutors’ claim that Bokar told the girl to delete and wipe her phone of information they shared, including messages, photos and videos. Investigators are also sorting through the suspect’s devices, according to statements made in court. The timeline described in court records places the alleged marijuana delivery in October and the alleged sexual conduct in November 2025, though the filings cited publicly do not detail every date and time for each alleged exchange.
The case remains in its early stage, with Bokar held under a high bond and investigators continuing to review evidence. The next major milestone is the preliminary hearing set for Feb. 23, when prosecutors are expected to outline more of their evidence and the defense will have an early chance to respond in court.
Author note: Last updated Feb. 15, 2026.