Five football players from Wheaton College are facing felony charges after an alleged "hazing" of a freshman teammate. Their actions include restraining the teammate with duct tape, beating and attempting to rape him, and leaving him "half-naked with two torn shoulders on a baseball field," according to the Chicago Tribune.
"DuPage County Judge Joseph Bugos signed arrest warrants and set $50,000 bonds against the players — James Cooksey, Kyler Kregel, Benjamin Pettway, Noah Spielman and Samuel TeBos — late Monday afternoon. Prosecutors charged the athletes with aggravated battery, mob action, and unlawful restraint," reports the Tribune.
The unnamed victim, who has since left the school, has stated to the Tribune, "This has had a devastating effect on my life. What was done to me should never occur in connection with a football program or any other activity. ... I am confident that the criminal prosecution will provide a fair and just punishment to the men who attacked me."
According to the Tribune:
The freshman told investigators that he was placed in the back seat of a teammate's vehicle and held down by at least two players while others piled into the vehicle. After the vehicle began moving, the players played Middle Eastern music and made offensive comments about Muslims, according to the victim's account.
At one point, the players suggested to the freshman that he had been kidnapped by Muslims who wanted to fornicate with goats, the teen told investigators. They patted his foot and suggested he would be their "goat" for the evening, the records said.
The freshman told investigators that his teammates restrained him with more duct tape during the drive, pulled down his shorts and underwear, then repeatedly tried to insert an object into his rectum. After the freshman yelled at them to stop, he was beaten, he said.
The college released a statement on Monday that they were "deeply troubled" by the allegations. According to sources, players were required to write an essay reflecting on the incident and perform 50 hours of community service. The players' current status with the team is not yet known ensuing the incident.
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