Cole Pleads to Assault, Sexual Harassment

IFL veteran Devin Cole has pleaded guilty to assault in the fourth degree and sexual harassment following an altercation outside a bar with a female patron last June.

Cole, 32, was arrested by the Medford, Oregon police department the morning of June 14 and charged with first-degree rape, two counts of first-degree sodomy and two counts of first-degree sexual penetration.

Cole was originally indicted by a grand jury on the five charges, which were later reduced during a plea negotiation after the 6-foot-4, 235-pound fighter agreed to plead guilty rather than go to trial, said Jackson County Deputy District Attorney Terry Smith Norton.

Norton said the case would have been difficult to prosecute due to the lack of witnesses.

On the night in question, the 37-year-old victim sustained facial injuries when she collided with a board as she and Cole exited the bar to find a secluded area together, according to Sgt. Mike Budreau of the Medford Police Dept. Budreau said both had been drinking and that the sexual harassment occurred following the injury when Cole touched her “in a sexual manner against her will.” Budreau said the victim was an acquaintance of Cole.

The former Team Quest fighter has been ordered to pay a compensatory fine in restitution for medical bills and loss of work sustained by the victim. Cole was also sentenced to 60 days in jail with credit given for his initial arrest.

Cole, an All-American wrestler at Southern Oregon University, refrained from commenting on the case.

“It was an unfortunate situation,” Cole told Sherdog.com. “I’m very glad it’s all over with and I’d like to thank everyone that stood by me.”

A heavyweight entry for the IFL's Portland Wolfpack and Seattle Tiger Sharks, Cole (8-6) went 2-4 in the league. In his most recent bout in May 2008, Cole stopped Vince Lucero in 77 seconds at the Palace Fighting Championship in Lemoore, Calif.

Cole said he had no immediate plans to fight in the near future.