Crime & Safety

Two Local Men Arrested in Connection With Rape Case at Vanderbilt University

The two arrested are former high school teammates of an Indio native who is among four former Vanderbilt football players who face multiple charges of victimizing an unconscious student in June.

Two Coachella Valley men were arrested near their homes because police in Tennessee suspect they tampered with electronic evidence about the rape of an unconscious Vanderbilt University woman in a dormitory this summer, Nashville police said today.

Miles Joseph Finley, 19, of Bermuda Dunes, and Joseph Dominick Quinzio, 20, of Palm Desert, were arrested by Riverside County deputies on Tennessee warrants charging one felony count each of tampering with electronic evidence.

They are former high school teammates of defendant Brandon Vandenburg, an Indio native who is among four former or then-current Vanderbilt football players who face multiple charges of victimizing the unconscious student June 23, according to the Nashville Tennessean.

Find out what's happening in Palm Desertwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Finley and Quinzio were among three more people indicted Friday in Nashville, police there said. Vanderbilt wide receiver Chris Boyd, 21, is charged with one felony count of being an accessory after the fact when he allegedly tried covering up the sexual assault by helping some of the defendants last week, according to Nashville police.

Finley and Quinzio are suspected of tampering with certain electronic evidence connected to the case. Riverside County Sheriff's deputies told Nashville police that Finley tried to flee when they approached his home, police said.

Find out what's happening in Palm Desertwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Quinzio was arrested later in the day, according to police and news reports.

The two men were held in custody with bail set at $150,000 for both. Vandenburg 20, faces five counts of aggravated rape, two counts of aggravated sexual battery and a single count of unlawful photography and tampering with evidence, The Tennessean reported.

Finley and Quinzio caught the attention of Nashville detectives and a police electronics expert during a visit to California late last month, according to Nashville police.

Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson said detectives are looking at all persons who may have had some involvement in the rape, before, during and after the fact.

"Today's indictment reflects the hundreds of law enforcement hours that have gone into this case thus far, and the absolute seriousness of this entire matter," Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson said in a written statement. "I also reiterate that this investigation ... remains open and active...

"Additional charges cannot be ruled out."

City News Service contributed to this report.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.