Two local men indicted in Vanderbilt sexual assault case
Two Coachella Valley men were arrested near theirhomes because police in Tennessee suspect they tampered with electronicevidence about the rape of an unconscious Vanderbilt University woman in adormitory this summer, Nashville police said today.
Miles Joseph Finley, 19, of Bermuda Dunes, and Joseph Dominick Quinzio,20, of Palm Desert, were arrested by Riverside County deputies on Tennesseewarrants charging one felony count each of tampering with electronic evidence.
They are former high school teammates of defendant Brandon Vandenburg,an Indio native who is among four former or then-current Vanderbilt footballplayers who face multiple charges of victimizing the unconscious student June23, according to the Nashville Tennessean.
Finley and Quinzio were among three more people indicted Friday inNashville, police there said. Vanderbilt wide receiver Chris Boyd, 21, ischarged with one felony count of being an accessory after the fact when heallegedly tried covering up the sexual assault by helping some of thedefendants last week, according to Nashville police.
Finley and Quinzio are suspected of tampering with certain electronicevidence connected to the case. Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies toldNashville police that Finley tried to flee when they approached his home,police said.
Quinzio was arrested later in the day, according to police and newsreports.
The two men were held in custody with bail set at $150,000 for both.Vandenburg 20, faces five counts of aggravated rape, two counts of aggravatedsexual battery and a single count of unlawful photography and tampering withevidence, The Tennessean reported.
Finley and Quinzio caught the attention of Nashville detectives and apolice electronics expert during a visit to California late last month,according to Nashville police.
Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson said detectives are looking at allpersons who may have had some involvement in the rape, before, during andafter the fact.
“Today’s indictment reflects the hundreds of law enforcement hours thathave gone into this case thus far, and the absolute seriousness of thisentire matter,” Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson said in a writtenstatement. “I also reiterate that this investigation … remains open andactive…
“Additional charges cannot be ruled out.”
