Lockhart: Rape allegation will be proven 'untrue'

SANDUSKY — City commissioner Greg Lockhart refuses to answer direct questions about rape allegations against him made by three women, but he's taken to social media to complain about the Register and discredit his accusers."This allegation is absolutely not true and will be proven untrue," Lockhart wrote at the Register's Facebook page after a woman came forward on Friday alleging he raped her. "Of course you won't and haven't reported anything, that might vindicate me or put me in a positive light."It's not clear what information that "might vindicate" him Lockhart wants reported. He did not include any information akin to that in his post.Screenshot of a response Greg Lockhart made at the Register's Facebook page.There are about a dozen police reports on file with the Sandusky police involving Lockart, and more with the Erie County sheriff and Perkins police, in addition to the sexual assault complaints. Lockhart pleaded no contest to misdemeanor sex offenses in 2001 after being accused of rape in 2000 by a 14-year-old girl.In the second reported case, a special prosecutor determined there was insufficient evidence to bring charges after a woman told police Lockhart had sex with her after she passed out when the two were together one evening in November 2015.The third woman, who went to police on Friday, said Lockhart tricked her to go inside a home where he raped her. She was 16 at the time, she said.Lockhart on Saturday, at Facebook, questioned why she's coming forward now."Alleged victims sometimes don't come forward, because of scrutiny. Also, they may not come forward because it may not have happened," Lockhart wrote, responding to a post about victim bullying at social media being one reason victims don't always immediately report sexual assaults.He also questioned why the woman spoke to a reporter at the Register."We do know the first place a victim thinks to go is not a newspaper or other media, before going to authorities for such a serious allegation," Lockhart wrote.The woman said she contacted the Register inquiring about whether her name would be in the newspaper if she reported the assault to police. She is fearful of Lockhart, she said, and does not like the bullying of victims that occurs at social media sites.The Register does not report the names of victims or alleged victims of sexual assault, but, despite that, if people do bully an alleged victim, it would be the newspaper's fault, according to Lockhart, because it reported about the allegations.In a later Facebook post, Lockhart seemed to suggest whatever did happen between him and the alleged victims shouldn't have any impact on his campaign for county commissioner or his status as a city commissioner because the incidents occurred years ago."I don't discount the (#MeToo) movement or anyone's story," Lockhart responded to a post made by Tracy Thom, an advocate. "Nor should anyone discredit my side of the story. But this isn't about someone in power, part of an organization or being in politics. This is alleged prior to me being elected."Lockhart was elected to a four-year term in November 2015. He didn't suggest in the posts what "his side of the story" might be. He also did not respond when asked why these women would falsely accuse him, what did they have to gain by doing that, what did happen between him and the women, and other questions.*Read other news coverage about Greg LockhartLockhart, Greg