ST. GEORGE, Utah (KUTV) — Parker Kingston, a wide receiver at Brigham Young University, has been charged with felony rape in Washington County, Utah.
The Washington County Attorney’s Office filed the first-degree felony charge against the 21-year-old Kingston on Tuesday, .
The charge stems from an investigation that began in , when a 20-year-old woman reported a sexual assault to officers at St. George Regional Hospital. According to charging documents, the woman alleged that Kingston sexually assaulted her in St. George on .
Detectives with the St. George Police Department gathered digital and forensic evidence and conducted interviews before submitting the case to the Washington County Attorney’s Office for review. Kingston was subsequently taken into custody and is currently being held in Washington County without bail.
Kingston is scheduled to make his initial court appearance on , at 1:30 p.m.
Brigham Young University released a statement acknowledging the arrest. “BYU became aware today of the arrest of Parker Kingston,” the statement read. “The university takes any allegation very seriously, and will cooperate with law enforcement. Due to federal and university privacy laws and practices for students, the university will not be able to provide additional comment.”
The Washington County Attorney’s Office is requesting that anyone with additional information regarding this case contact them at 435-301-7100.
This case arrives against a backdrop of past legal challenges involving BYU athletes and allegations of sexual assault. In 2005, a Provo jury acquitted two former BYU football players of rape charges, as reported by the BYU Universe. More recently, in 2006, a former BYU football player, Karland Bennett, had felony charges dropped after the alleged victim declined to testify in a subsequent trial, according to the Deseret News. Bennett had previously entered a plea deal and testified against other players.
The arrest of Kingston marks the latest development in a case that has drawn significant attention, particularly within the BYU community and among college football fans. The investigation and subsequent charges highlight the ongoing scrutiny faced by universities and athletic programs in addressing allegations of sexual assault and ensuring the safety and well-being of their students.
