Teen convicted of terrorizing other bus riders; Two other

A Northwest Indiana man was convicted Thursday of sexually harassing and terrorizing fellow school bus riders.

The conviction of Ashley Toney, now 18, ends the case against three Portage High school students who were accused of bullying students in 2008-2009.

The other two juveniles, Charles McCloud-Smith, now 17, and Joe Francisco Carnell, now 18, pleaded guilty to reduced charges in February.

All three were charged as adults. Toney, of Portage, will be sentenced Sept. 27 for two felony charges of sexual battery, a felony charge of criminal confinement and misdemeanor charges of public indecency and criminal recklessness.

The felonies each carry prison sentences of up to three years, and Deputy Prosecutor Tim Haraminac said Judge William Alexa could stack the sentencings, making Toney serve each consecutively.

The jury found him not guilty of one sexual battery felony, and Alexa dismissed a disorderly conduct misdemeanor charge Wednesday for lack of evidence.

Haraminac said in closing arguments that what Toney said to police when arrested showed an attitude that he felt entitled to do what he wanted, including groping girls and throwing flaming paper balls from the bus.

The defense argued that the investigation targeted just the three boys after a parent confronted them in February 2009; otherwise, more students would have been named.

The trial should affect the new school year everywhere, said Cpl. Troy Williams, school resource officer at Portage High School.