WVU students pleads guilty in Taylor County sexual misconduct case

GRAFTON, W.Va. – A 22-year-old West Virginia University engineering major from South Carolina has entered a guilty plea to having sex with two 14-year-old girls last December in rural Taylor County.

At sentencing, Robert Korleski, 22, of Simpsonville, South Carolina, could receive 2 to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $20,000. More immediately, Judge Alan Moats ordered Korleski to register as a lifetime sex offender within the next three business days. Additionally, Korleski will be subject to a supervised release period of 2 to 50 years to commence when the court ordered sentence is served.

The families of both girls and state police have agreed with the deal offered to Korleski.

Taylor County Prosecutor John Bord recommended signature bond, citing his cooperation up to this point. Judge Moats set the signature bond at $5,000, and added Korleski cannot use any internet dating applications and must not have contact anyone under the age of 18.

Court documents say Korleski met a girl from Grafton online and when they met in December of 2020 she brought a friend with her. After talking in the Walmart parking lot for about an hour, Korleski drove the girls to a gravel road off Maple Avenue where he had sex with both.

Taylor Prosecutor John Bord is expected to make sentence recommendation when the presentence investigation is complete. A behavioral health evaluation has also been scheduled.