Fourth battery charge filed on frat member

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STILLWATER, Okla., Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Prosecutors said a fourth sexual battery charge has been filed against an Oklahoma State student who allegedly groped men in their sleep.

Nathan Cochran, 22, is accused in court documents of targeting the men, The (Oklahoma City) Oklahoman said Tuesday. An affidavit states a male victim was at Cochran's fraternity house and was invited to sleep over on a pull-out sofa. The man thought he would be the only person sleeping on the bed, but Cochran laid down next to him and pretended he'd fallen asleep. Cochran allegedly eventually began groping the man. The victim pulled Cochran's hand away and he tried again to put his hand down the victim's pants and told him he wanted to have sex, the affidavit states. The victim eventually left the house.

The school was initially notified of the assaults by several victims who made similar claims, but the information was not initially turned over to police for investigation. The school initially said federal privacy laws prohibited them from doing so but reversed course a month later when the campus newspaper began investigating the matter.

The school has suspended Cochran pending the outcome of the case.