Two teenage girls accused of threatening the 16-year-old victim in the Steubenville, Ohio, rape case were released on house arrest Wednesday and ordered not to use social media.

The girls were arrested in the aftermath of the guilty verdicts of two high school football player, Trent Mays, 17, and Ma’lik Richmond, 16, who a judge found raped the West Virginia girl during a night of heavy drinking.

The case drew national notoriety to the small Ohio town where the successful “Big Red” high school football team is a source of community pride.

Social media postings of images, video and text messages played a unique role in the prosecution’s case. A 12-minute video shocked many for the callous and profane way the boys discussed raping the victim.

In Wednesday's juvenile court hearing, defense attorneys for the two accused girls entered a denial to the charges, equivalent to a not guilty plea, NBC station WTOV reported.

The judge and prosecution also discussed releasing information from the girls’ twitter accounts and cell phones.

In addition releasing the girls to their homes, the judge ordered them not to contact the victim, a West Virginia resident. The accused girls had been held at a juvenile detention center.

The original rape trial verdict was announced on Sunday, March 18, and by the next day State Attorney Mike DeWine had charged a 16-year-old girl with aggravated menacing for threatening the victim’s live on Twitter, and a charged  a 15-year-old girl with menacing and threatening bodily harm to the victim on Facebook.

According to NBC station WPXI, which cited an investigator, one of the threats on Twitter said, “You ripped my family apart. You made my cousin cry. So when I see you it’s going to be homicide.”

A wide-ranging investigation is also under way that could lead to more charges in the case, DeWine said after the verdict.

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A day after a juvenile court judge found two Steubenville High School football players guilty of raping a 16-year-old girl, Ohio’s attorney general announced two more teens have been arrested — for allegedly using social media to threaten the victim.

A 16-year-old girl will face a charge of aggravated menacing for threatening the life of the victim on Twitter, according to a statement from State Attorney Mike DeWine.

A 15-year-old girl is charged with menacing after being accused of “threatening bodily harm” to the victim on Facebook, DeWine said.

On Sunday, Trent Mays, 17, and Ma'lik Richmond, 16, were found guilty of raping the teenage girl during a night of heavy drinking and partying in a high-profile case that drew national attention to the small Ohio town.

Shortly after the trial concluded, DeWine announced a new, wide-ranging investigation that could yield more charges.  

"Let me be clear. Threatening a teenage rape victim will not be tolerated.  If anyone makes a threat verbally or via the internet, we will take it seriously, we will find you, and we will arrest you," DeWine said in a statement.

Social media played a unique role throughout the investigation as investigators used photos, messages and videos posted online to piece together what happened the night of Aug. 11, 2012. A now infamous 12-minute video shocked many in the town of 18,000 for the callous and profane way they discussed raping the young female.

"You were your own accuser, through the social media that you chose to publish your criminal conduct on,"  the mother of the victim told the boys after the verdict was read.

And more charges are likely to come down the line, perhaps for the football coaches and parents where the parties were held. Next month a grand jury will meet to consider evidence gathered during dozens of interviews, including the coaching staff of the Steubenville football team.

"I've reached the conclusion that this investigation cannot be completed, simply cannot be completed, that we cannot bring finality to this matter without the convening of a grand jury," DeWine said on Sunday, barley an hour after the judge handed down the guilty verdicts.

The two teens charged Monday are being held in a local detention center. WTRF of Steubenville reports the two will appear in front of a judge on Tuesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report