salt Lake City — Brigham Young University The standout wide receiver said Friday parker kingston He is no longer a student at the Utah private school after being arrested this week on first-degree felony rape charges.
Kingston, 21, made his initial court appearance in St. George on Friday, where prosecutors say a woman, then 20, told authorities that Kingston had assaulted her at his home last February. Washington County Attorney Jerry Jagger said he was arrested after a year-long investigation, in which detectives collected digital and forensic evidence and interviewed witnesses.
“By clear and convincing evidence I found that Mr. Kingston was a danger to the community,” Judge John Walton said during the hearing.
Still, Walton allowed Kingston to be released Friday on $100,000 bond, with $10,000 cash to be paid to the court immediately after he was initially held without bail.
His defense attorney Kara Tangaro agreed that Kingston can have no contact with his accuser or any potential witnesses, must stay off social media and wear a GPS ankle monitor to ensure he does not return to southwestern Utah County except for court appearances. He appeared before the judge on Friday via remote video link from jail.
If found guilty, he could be sentenced to five years to life imprisonment.
Tangaroa did not immediately respond to email and phone messages seeking comment Friday.
BYU spokesman John McBride said the administration and coaches were made aware of the investigation and the allegations against him only after Kingston’s arrest this week. He declined to answer whether Kingston was expelled or had voluntarily left the school.
According to an affidavit released Thursday, Kingston told St. George police that “all sexual activity” with the woman accusing him of rape was “consensual.” The woman told investigators that she made it clear to Kingston before she came to his home that she did not want to have sex with him and that he told her several times to stop when they started having sex, the affidavit said.
BYU, the flagship university of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon Church, has a strict honor code for students that bans all sexual relations outside marriage between a man and a woman. Violators may face suspension, and athletes may be benched for several weeks.
Other top athletes including Tulane quarterback jake retzlaffOpted to leave BYU after facing a long-term suspension for violating the honor code.
Kingston was BYU’s leading receiver last season.
He is expected to make his next court appearance on February 25.
