Editor's note: The following article contains accounts of sexual assault.
Keyontae Johnson, a Florida basketball star and 2020 SEC preseason player of the year, has been accused of sexual assault by the police as first reported by T.J. Legacy-Cole of WUFT. No arrests have been made thus far.
Johnson, 22, has been under investigation for four weeks due to an incident that occurred in February. Johnson’s accuser, who remains anonymous at this time per state policy, claims Johnson assaulted her while she was intoxicated at a pool party. In a phone call monitored by the police, Johnson admits he was aware of the accuser’s drunken state.
The Norfolk, Virginia, native hasn’t played in a game since collapsing during a contest in December 2020. He most recently took the court for a ceremonious tipoff on senior night against Kentucky. Johnson is on track to graduate in May of 2022.
Johnson’s accuser reported to the police that the incident took place on Feb. 26 during a party at the Canopy apartment complex in Gainesville, where Johnson resides. The party took place after the team’s return from an away victory against the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens.
According to police reports, Johnson’s accuser was heavily intoxicated and asked to use the restroom in Johnson’s apartment. The 19-year-old does not recall walking to the residence. The accuser does recall Johnson lying on top of her and asking if she had been recently tested for any sexually transmitted diseases.
Two witnesses reported that the accuser was in Johnson’s apartment for roughly 35 minutes before returning. Upon the accuser’s return, witnesses recalled she was unable to stand on her own and was incoherent.
The police report states that Johnson and his accuser had consensual intercourse as recently as August 2021, but the accuser had since denied Johnson’s requests and, “made it clear to the [Defendant] that she did not want to have sexual intercourse anymore.”
The court records indicate Johnson is being formally accused of felony sexual assault. The charges are in their initial stages and a formal charge or indictment could take as long as six months.
Johnson’s lawyer, Ron Klozowki, made a brief statement to Edgar Thompson of the Orlando Sentinel.
“I’m confident once the facts come out, no charges will be filed,” Kozlowski said. “Keyontae didn’t commit a crime, didn’t do anything wrong. That will be apparent once the facts are out.”
The University Athletic Association has made no comment at this time.
Contact Jackson Castellano at jcastellano@alligator.org. Find him on Twitter @jaxacastellano.
Jackson Castellano is a third-year sports media journalism student and the Digital Managing Editor at The Alligator for Spring 2024. In the past, he's served as the Sports Editor, Assistant Sports Editor and a Sports Reporter covering Football, Men's basketball and Baseball.
