A college football player with a reported history of sexual assault has been found guilty of raping a teenage girl while on a family cruise.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland said: statement Jaylen Thomas Kelly, 22, was found guilty of aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, and assault in the 2023 rape of a 17-year-old girl on a Carnival cruise ship. It has been revealed that he could be sentenced to up to life in prison. The U.S. Attorney's Office said in the federal lawsuit.
“Kelly saw it [she] was drunk [by his own admission]realizing she was vulnerable, offered to take her to the bathroom.
Federal prosecutors said Kelly raped the then-minor girl between January 1 and January 2, 2023.
According to court documents, Kelly met the teen on the night of January 1st after a party on the cruise ship Carnival Legend. Kelly took her to his cabin because she needed to use the bathroom.
Citing court filings: nation After the victim left the bathroom, Kelly allegedly pushed her “face-first” onto the bed and raped her, the report said.
Kelly is said to have sexually assaulted a teenage girl and then asked her terrifying questions.
Court documents say the incident occurred “after rape.” [her]Kelly asked, “Are you okay?”
The Carnival cruise ship returned to port in Baltimore on January 2nd.
The victims and their families disembarked the cruise ship and returned to their home in Virginia. After returning home, the teen reported the rape to local police. She was examined at a hospital in Virginia and was found to have bruising to her right arm and shin, as well as “vaginal abrasions, lacerations, and bruising,” according to court documents.
In April 2023, FBI agents questioned Kelly regarding sexual assault allegations. At the time of the interview, Kelly was a redshirt junior running back on the Wingate University football team.
Kelly allegedly told investigators that he kissed and groped the underage girl outside her room before letting her go to the bathroom. Kelly allegedly stated that he believed the boy was under the influence of alcohol.
“Kelly saw it [she] was drunk [by his own admission]realized she was vulnerable and offered to take her to the bathroom,” prosecutors wrote in court documents. Kelly “made the most of the situation,” prosecutors said.
According to reports, FBI agents arrested Kelly at Wingate University on September 20, 2023. wingate triangle — University student newspaper.
After news broke about an alleged sexual assault on a cruise ship, a Wingate University student came forward for raping her.
As of November 2023, there was an outstanding arrest warrant for Kelly in Union County, North Carolina, for second-degree forcible rape, the state newspaper reported.
Kelly was also convicted as a juvenile in a 2019 sexual assault case, prosecutors said.
During the two-week trial in the rape case on the cruise ship Carnival, jurors heard testimony from six people accusing Kelly of other sexual assaults in separate cases.
“Kelly has a remarkable history of sexual assault allegations by men and women from early 2017 to September 2023,” prosecutors wrote in court documents. new york post.
Carnival Cruise Lines did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the state.
“We will never stop working to provide justice for the victims of predators like Mr. Kelly, no matter where the crimes occur,” said Maryland District Attorney Erek L. Barron. “The guilty verdict reflects Mr. Kelly's unwavering commitment.” The FBI protects our communities and keeps Americans safe. ”
This story has been updated. The football player's first name is Jalen, not James.
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