Yahoo Sports Arrest warrant issued for Nebraska RB Maurice Washington in revenge porn case
UPDATE Feb. 14
An arrest warrant has been issued for Washington regarding the two revenge porn charges he’s facing.
His attorney said Thursday that the running back will return to California to face the charges. Washington’s previous attorney, former Nebraska attorney general Jon Bruning, told the Associated Press Wednesday that he did not disclose the nature of the allegation against Washington to the school. The case had been investigated throughout the 2018 season and a request for the arrest warrant was filed in December.
The original story from Feb. 11 is below.
——-
Nebraska running back Maurice Washington is facing a felony charge for his part in an alleged case of “revenge porn” in his home state of California.
Washington is accused of possessing a video of his ex-girlfriend being sexually assaulted on his cellphone. According to court records, Washington is also accused of sending the video to the alleged victim in an attempt to “inflict emotional damage.”
Washington did not record the video, according to the report. The alleged victim was 15 years old when the video was recorded, so Washington is being hit with a felony distribution of child pornography charge. The video is from 2016.
San Jose native Maurice Washington III did not record the video and is not part of the alleged assault involving his ex-girlfriend and two former classmates. But Washington is accused of keeping the video on his phone and sending it to the victim last March, along with the message, “Remember this hoe [sic].”
Washington, who dated the victim during his freshman year at The King’s Academy High School in Sunnyvale, is being charged under the “Revenge Porn” law because he’s accused of sending the video to inflict emotional damage on the victim. Because the victim was 15 when the video was recorded, he’s also being charged with distribution of child pornography, a felony.
The incident was not reported as a rape, but the alleged victim now says the sex was not consensual. Sexual assault charges were never filed.
Nebraska: ‘No details shared’ when contacted last fall
According to the report, investigators have been unable to interview Washington despite requests to Nebraska’s athletic department and Jon Bruning, Washington’s former attorney. Bruning is the former attorney general of Nebraska.
In a statement released Monday afternoon, Nebraska Athletics said it was contacted by law enforcement officials about potentially interviewing Washington last fall, but no details were provided.
“Last fall we were contacted by the Nebraska Attorney General’s office and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln police department and made aware that officials in California were interested in interviewing Maurice Washington about a prior incident,” Nebraska’s statement reads. “Details were not shared and there was no additional follow up with the Nebraska Athletic Department. Recently, we were made aware that charges may be filed against Maurice in California. We have not had a chance to review the charges, and will continue to monitor this ongoing legal process.”
Washington’s current attorney, John Ball, told NBC Bay Area that his client is cooperating with authorities.
“This is a situation involving an inappropriate cell phone video. The allegations are that Mr. Washington sent that video to his high school girlfriend. Mr. Washington did not make the video, nor does he appear in the video. The incident is alleged to have taken place in California, several years ago. Mr. Washington will continue to be fully cooperative with the authorities in this situation. We are in contact with those authorities, and are in the process of making arrangements to move forward and resolve this matter. Mr. Washington has confidence in our justice system, and knows that he can rely on the fundamental constitutional rights of due process and the presumption of innocence.”
Washington is the second person to face charges in relation to the incident. According to the report, one of the teenage boys seen in the video was “arrested and placed on probation for distribution of child pornography” in 2016 for recording and sending the video to others at their school.
Washington rushed for 455 yards and three touchdowns while catching 24 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown in 2018, his true freshman season. Washington is currently in Nebraska and has not been brought into custody.
More from Yahoo Sports:
• Costas confirms reason he got pulled from Super Bowl
• Former NFL first-rounder’s mixed debut with AAF
• New football league wins the night, tops NBA in ratings
• Bushnell: The ‘miracle’ reincarnation of the Bucks
