Category Archives: Sexual assault/rape
Bryant, Kobe
Charge: Sexual assault
Arrest Date: July 4, 2003
Franchise: Los Angeles Lakers
Age 24
Details: In one of the most famous NBA arrest cases, Bryant was arrested on sexual assault charges following claims by a 19-year old in Colorado. She accused him of raping her in a hotel room where she was an employee. Details emerged, and Bryant admitted to cheating on his wife and having sex with her but denied the rape charges. The case was eventually dismissed after the accuser refused to testify following inconsistencies in her story. They did settle a civil case out of court, though terms of that settlement are unknown.
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Stevenson, DeShawn
Charge: Statutory rape
Arrest Date: June 19, 2001
Franchise: Utah Jazz
Age 20
Details: As a rookie with the Jazz, Stevenson was arrested after admitting in a taped phone conversation to having consensual sex with a 14 year-old girl in a hotel after a night of drinking. This came less than a year after getting arrested for taking part in a brawl at a high school on the night he was drafted in the first round by the Utah Jazz.
Patterson, Ruben
Charge: Attempted rape
Arrest Date: May 8, 2001
Franchise: Seattle SuperSonics
Age 25
Details: Patterson was arrested after allegedly attempting to rape the family’s 24 year old nanny inside of his Washington home. He eventually agreed to a plea deal that resulted in a 15-day jail sentence and him registering as a sex offender. This was Patterson’s second of three career arrests, all over a three-year span.
Mason, Anthony
Charge: Statutory Rape
Arrest Date: February 7, 1998
Franchise: New Orleans Pelicans
Age 31
Details: Mason and a friend allegedly had sex with two girls, aged 14 and 15, in a limousine in Queens following a charity basketball game. Mason eventually agreed to a plea deal to lesser charges. This was the second of five career arrests.
Wingate, David
Charge: Rape, assault, and battery
Arrest Date: September 16, 1990
Franchise: San Antonio Spurs
Age 26
Details: Wingate was arrested after a 17 year-old girl accused him of raping her at his apartment. Wingate claimed the sex was consensual.
Wingate, David
Charge: Sexual assault
Arrest Date: June 24, 1990
Franchise: San Antonio Spurs
Age 26
Details: Shortly after being arrested for a different rape in September, a 22 year old woman came forward accusing Wingate of raping her 3 months earlier. She says that after drinking, she passed out and was raped by Wingate and two others at the side of the road, and again back at an apartment of one of the assailants.
Huston, Geoff
Charge: Sexual imposition, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest
Arrest Date: October 2, 1984
Franchise: Cleveland Cavaliers
Age 26
Details: Huston stopped in an Ohio convenience store after midnight asking for directions. He then became angry, knocking over merchandise displays and grabbing a female employee ‘between the legs.’ Police were called and arrested Huston a short time later.
King, Bernard
Charge: Forcible sexual assault
Arrest Date: January 1, 1980
Franchise: Utah Jazz
Age 23
Details: At the age of 23, King had already been arrested three previous times since being drafted by the Nets in 1977. King rang in the new year and new decade by allegedly forcing a Salt Lake woman to perform repeated sexual acts on him.
Payne, Tom
Charge: Rape & Attempted Rape
Arrest Date: May 19, 1972
Franchise: Atlanta Hawks
Age 21
Details: Payne was arrested for raping a 22 year old in a parked car in Atlanta. He was eventually convicted and faced 11 years in prison, ending his playing career shortly after it began. After his release he returned to prison for yet another rape and served another 14 years.
NBA Crime Library 