Steubenville Residents 'Relieved' Justice Was Served In Big Red Football Rape Case, More Charges Pending

As the convicted Big Red football rapists reel from the shock of the guilty verdict that was handed down at the weekend, residents of the small Ohio town are relieved that justice has finally been served for the heinous crime.

"I feel that there needed to be accountability, but I still don't think that everyone who was implicit in the case has been brought to justice yet," local resident Willa Wade, whose daughter is a senior at Steubenville High School, tells RadarOnline.com in an exclusive interview.

Steubenville Star Football Players Found Guilty Of Rape

As we previously reported, Judge Thomas Lipps announced his decision in the no-jury case Sunday, finding both 17-year-old Trent Mays and Ma’lik Richmond, 16, guilty in the case that has divided the close-knit football-crazed town and riveted the nation.

Tried as juveniles, Richmond and Mays now face being jailed until they turn 21, and Wade believes they deserve to lose their youth behind bars for what they did to the anonymous 16-year-old victim, who was allegedly extremely drunk and may have been drugged when she was raped while partying with the boys last August.

"I wish it had never happened. It's not the first time this has happened, and it will not be the last -- but you wish people would learn from things like this. People need to teach their children what is right and what is wrong."

On Monday, Ohio State Attorney General Mike DeWine revealed that a Grand Jury will be called April 15 as 16 other minors face possible charges stemming from the rape -- a development that outraged residents are relieved to hear.

"Everyone knows that these two young men were not the only ones involved in the assault," says Wade , who is a church minister in Steubenville, adding: "If some of those charges don't involve the parents though, it's a moot issue. If you raise children then you need to take responsibility for what they do.

"I think adults should have been named in the investigation - a lot of this is about the cover-up that occurred following the attack and not just the crime that was committed."

As for the general atmosphere of the community that was previously known as the "City of Murals" but will now always be notorious for the infamous rape case, Wade says citizens aren't scared of facing further scrutiny.

"You only need to be afraid if you are guilty. Most of the people think that they are above the law and that it won't really happen," she says. "We just hope things will get better - and not just back to normal, as normal obviously wasn't good enough.