A pair of freshman swimmers at Ashland University, an NCAA Division II school in Ashland, Ohio, have been charged with felonies for theft, according to Ashland County Court documents.
Emily O’Brien and Nina Nephew, both 18, allegedly stole more than $1,100 in merchandise from a local Walmart.
Ashland County prosecutor Chris Tunnell says that Walmart security identified them in the store on January 7 with $146 in merchandise. He says that three days earlier, the store’s loss prevention department determined that they stole “north of $1,100” in merchandise, and then admitted it to officers on January 7th.
In Ohio, theft is a felony if the value of the property stolen is more than $1,000. Both women have been charged with fifth-degree felonies.
He says that the two admitted to stealing merchandise on previous occasions and that they were doing it because their friends had also stolen from the store without being caught.
The allegedly stolen merchandise was recovered from O’Brien’s and Nephew’s dorm rooms by the Ashland Police Department.
Both women pleaded not guilty to the charges. Bond was set at $3,000 and both were bailed out of jail. As part of the bond conditions, they were directed not to have any contact with each other or with Ashland Walmart.
According to Tunnell, the university is investigating which other friends also stole from the Walmart.
Ashland University declined to comment on the charges.
Ashland University’s swim team has only one second semester dual meet scheduled, a January 19 showdown with Mount Union on the Eagles’ senior day.
The team, including O’Brien and Nephew, last raced at the mid-season Miami University Invite. There, O’Brien was 24th in the 1650 free in 19:15.04 and 40th in the 500 free in 5:43.23, while Nephew finished 25th in the 1650 free in 19:20.22 and 37th in the 500 in 5:38.08.
They are the team’s leaders in the 1650 free this season, and two of only three on the roster who have raced it.
The Ashland men finished 2nd out of 9 teams and the Ashland women 3rd out of 10 teams at the 2023 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Championships last season.
Nina was on my swim team last year, she was the “cool” older kids and we all looked up to them cause they were so nice. I can’t believe she did this. Such a stupid thing to do.
HC quit right before start of season….hear great things about the assistant forced into a position he didn’t want with no help whatsoever, but damn kids
Ashland deserves better!
I agree
It does, the AD also had a recommendation for a better coach than what they have now, but decided to not act on it.
Ashland deserves better than these 2 girls and this publicity!
I know it’s wrong to assume race here…..
But these guys have got to be a couple of freestylers
Allegedly
If they were black or trans, this story would probably make it to Fox News.
Why in the world would you report and publish this? It has no impact on the swimming world. It’s just out to harm.
mOm I tOlD yOu NoT tO cOmMeNt
Maybe having your top 2 milers in jail for conference season has a little bit of impact on the team performance and standings
Play stupid games win stupid Swimswam articles
Good call Sophdog, Emily and Nina are the real victims here. How could they possibly have known that committing felonies and taking a thousand dollars of other peoples’ things would have consequences?? It didn’t for their friends!
BTW – in September, Ashland fired the administrator who worked with the student newspaper because Daniels taught “too much investigative journalism” and encouraged student journalists to be “overly persistent.” This feels relevant.
https://www.thefire.org/news/ashland-university-dismisses-newspaper-adviser-administrators-complain-student-reporters-did
I disagree. These stories make headlines within other sports. If these alleged shoplifters were faster or more notable swimmers then this comment section would be lit.
Felony theft is harm last I read. That’s why there’s a law against it.