VIRGINIA — A community college basketball player allegedly raped an intoxicated student during a party celebrating his team in January.
Jayvion Latrelle Jackson, 20, was charged last week with first- and third-degree criminal sexual conduct in the incident that reportedly occurred at an apartment near Minnesota North College-Mesabi Range.
A criminal complaint says the victim reported the assault to the Virginia Police Department in early May.
She said there had been a gathering to celebrate the men’s basketball team at her residence on the night of Jan. 18, spilling into the early morning of Jan. 19. The woman told an investigator she drank a lot of vodka and was “very deep into it.”
At some point, according to the complaint, the victim and some friends went into her bedroom and found Jackson, who was asked to take some photographs of them. But the woman discussed with her friend that she didn’t want him to stay because she’d had too much to drink. Two of her friends attempted to get him to leave, but he refused and continued to lie in her bed.
The complaint says the woman got in bed and wanted to go to sleep, but Jackson wouldn’t leave her alone. She told police he proceeded to sexually assault her.
The victim was able to provide police with photographs of bruises she suffered during the incident, authorities said.
Jackson, when later interviewed by police, allegedly acknowledged having sex with the woman but maintained that it was consensual.
The defendant’s address is listed in the Indianapolis suburb of McCordsville, Indiana. He has not been arrested but was given a summons to appear in State District Court on Sept. 12.
A conviction on the top charge can carry a presumptive sentence of 12 years in prison for an offender with no criminal history.
Jackson
was listed as a freshman guard on the basketball team
last season, appearing in 22 games for the junior college program.
Annika Freiburger, a spokesperson for Minnesota North College, said officials recently learned of the incident, which occurred at a separate housing facility not owned by the college. She added that the alleged conduct is “strictly prohibited” under the college’s sexual misconduct policy.
“Minnesota North College remains committed to eliminating sexual misconduct in all forms and will take appropriate remedial action against any individual found responsible for acts in violation of this policy,” Freiburger wrote in an email. “Due to data privacy laws, we are unable to share specific details regarding the allegations at this time.”
This story was updated at 4:52 p.m. July 7 with the college’s statement. It was originally posted at 4:18 p.m. July 7.
Tom Olsen covers crime and courts and the 8th Congressional District for the Duluth News Tribune since 2013. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Duluth and a lifelong resident of the city. Readers can contact Olsen at 218-723-5333 or tolsen@duluthnews.com.