Van Houten told ABC News his office is considering criminal charges after a civil lawsuit filed September 14 detailed the alleged attack. The suit, filed by a woman identified only as Jane Doe, names Matthew Ingalls, Johnathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar. It alleges Doe was coerced into taking drugs before being assaulted and raped by multiple men at the fraternity house.
According to the lawsuit, Newell invited other fraternity brothers to take part, sending a Snapchat message referencing "free" access to Doe that night. The allegations sparked outrage online after the suit became public. That reaction appears to have prompted the district attorney to take another look at possible criminal liability.
For Doe, the civil case was already underway before any criminal review began. She pursued a legal path on her own while prosecutors stayed on the sidelines, and only after the lawsuit drew public attention did Van Houten's office signal it might act.
If charges move forward, the seven men named in the suit could face criminal exposure on top of the civil claims already filed against them.