Former New Mexico State University basketball players face felony charges over hazing allegations
Three former New Mexico State University basketball players have been charged with felony sex crimes and other offenses over allegations of hazing, according to the state attorney general. The accusations led to the premature end of the team’s 2022-23 season.
Deshawndre Washington, Doctor Bradley, and Kim Aiken Jr. are accused of holding younger players and student staff against their will while violating them, including violently grabbing their genital areas, according to the office of New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez.
The alleged offenses took place from August to November 2022, as stated in the grand jury indictments released by Torrez’s office.
Torrez emphasized that this type of violent conduct will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. He also highlighted the need to address the culture that allowed these crimes to occur.
Each defendant is charged with criminal sexual penetration, false imprisonment, criminal sexual contact, conspiracy to commit criminal sexual contact, and conspiracy to commit false imprisonment. All charges are felonies.
Washington and Bradley each face five counts of false imprisonment and criminal sexual contact, while Aiken faces four counts of both charges.
The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned in court in Las Cruces on November 22.
CNN has reached out to the attorney general’s office and New Mexico State University for comment.
The charges come after the university temporarily suspended the men’s basketball program in February and ended the team’s 2022-23 season due to allegations of hazing. The head coach was fired that month.
Although the university did not provide details about the allegations at the time, a member of the men’s basketball team reported hazing incidents in the team’s locker room since the summer.
Chancellor Dan E. Arvizu stated that hazing has no place on the campus and those responsible will be held accountable for their actions.
In April, two former players filed a lawsuit against the former head coach, three former NMSU players, and others, alleging hazing and sexual assault incidents within the team. The lawsuit was settled for $8 million.
Former New Mexico State basketball players charged with felony sex crimes
Accused of hazing and violating teammates and staff members
Three former New Mexico State University basketball players are facing charges of felony sex crimes and other offenses after being accused of hazing their teammates and student staff members. These allegations led to the premature end of the team’s 2022-23 season, according to the state attorney general.
The accused players, Deshawndre Washington, Doctor Bradley, and Kim Aiken Jr., are alleged to have held younger players and student staff against their will while violating them. The acts reportedly included violently grabbing the victims’ genital areas, as stated in a news release from the office of New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez.
The offenses are said to have taken place between August and November 2022, as indicated by grand jury indictments released by Torrez’s office.
“Players, coaches, and administrators at every level are on notice that this type of violent conduct will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Torrez in a statement. “They should also be aware that while this action is an important first step in addressing this inexcusable behavior, our work in correcting the culture that allowed these crimes to occur is far from finished.”
Each defendant is facing multiple charges, including criminal sexual penetration, false imprisonment, criminal sexual contact, and conspiracy to commit these crimes. All charges are considered felonies.
Washington, a junior guard last season, and Bradley, a sophomore forward at the time, each face five counts of false imprisonment and criminal sexual contact. Aiken, a redshirt senior forward last season, faces four counts of both charges.
The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned in court in Las Cruces on November 22, according to CNN affiliate KOAT.
CNN has reached out to the attorney general’s office and New Mexico State University for comment.
These charges come after New Mexico State University temporarily suspended the men’s basketball program in February and ended the team’s 2022-23 season due to allegations of hazing within the team. The university also fired the team’s head coach at that time.
Although specific details about the allegations were not provided by university officials, a member of the men’s basketball team reported to school police in February that he had been subjected to hazing in the team’s locker room since the summer. The incident was documented in a case report from the New Mexico State University Police Department.
“Hazing has no place on our campus, and those found responsible will be held accountable for their actions,” stated Chancellor Dan E. Arvizu in an open letter to the university community in February.
In April, two former players filed a lawsuit against the former head coach, three former NMSU players, and others, alleging hazing and sexual assault incidents within the team. The lawsuit was settled for $8 million, as reported by KOAT.
The Aggies have since resumed their men’s basketball program under a new coach and have played their first two games of the 2023-24 regular season this week.