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Utah Jazz player charged with raping a minor
By BRIAN MELLEY
Associated Press Writer
June 21, 2001
FRESNO, Calif. (AP) -- Utah Jazz rookie DeShawn Stevenson was charged with statutory rape after authorities said he admitted he had sex with a 14-year-old girl.
Stevenson, 20, who joined the Jazz after jumping to the NBA from high school, surrendered to police Tuesday night and was released on $5,000 bail. He admitted to the girl's mother in a tape-recorded telephone call that he had sex with her daughter, according to court records.
The 6-foot-5 backup guard is charged along with his best friend, former high school teammate DeShawn Anderson, 19. A July 6 hearing was set in Fresno Superior Court.
At a news conference Wednesday in Salt Lake City, Jazz officials said they didn't know enough about the case to take action.
``Should he have been in a position that supposedly he was in? No. Do we know what that position was? No. So to support him or to say he was wrong, I don't want to say either one until we know more,'' Jazz vice president Kevin O'Connor said.
Stevenson, a Fresno native who went to Washington Union High School in nearby Easton, faces up to three years in state prison if convicted of the felony.
He could immediately be reached for comment, and no one was home at his parent's house.
Anderson, who has an unlisted number, also could not be contacted.
The girl -- who was not named because of her age and the nature of the charges -- told police the two basketball players and another former high school teammate took her and a 15-year-old girlfriend to a Howard Johnson motel after buying a large bottle of brandy.
At the motel, Stevenson checked in using his credit card -- but put Anderson's name on the register, according to a Fresno police report.
Both girls told police officers they got drunk willingly on brandy and Coke served by Stevenson. The 14-year-old girl said she had consensual sex with Stevenson. The 15-year-old girl said she had consensual sex with Anderson.
The police report said everyone left the motel together the morning of June 6, and the girls were dropped off at the 15-year-old girl's house. The 14-year-old girl's mother later called police.
The mother then confronted Stevenson in a recorded telephone conversation, the police report said. In that conversation, police said Stevenson admitted providing the booze and having sex with the woman's daughter. He also said Anderson had sex with the other girl.
Stevenson's agent, Rob Pelinka, would not comment. Stevenson's lawyer in the case, Roger Litman, did not immediately return calls from The Associated Press.
This was Stevenson's second brush with the law in Fresno since he was drafted in the first round by Utah last year, the 23rd pick overall.
On the night he was drafted, Stevenson was accused of taking part in a brawl at a high school basketball game. Stevenson said he was jumped by five men after signing autographs and pleaded innocent to misdemeanor charges of fighting in a public place.
Stevenson was expected to be in court facing those charges Monday.
By BRIAN MELLEY
Associated Press Writer
June 21, 2001
FRESNO, Calif. (AP) -- Utah Jazz rookie DeShawn Stevenson was charged with statutory rape after authorities said he admitted he had sex with a 14-year-old girl.
Stevenson, 20, who joined the Jazz after jumping to the NBA from high school, surrendered to police Tuesday night and was released on $5,000 bail. He admitted to the girl's mother in a tape-recorded telephone call that he had sex with her daughter, according to court records.
The 6-foot-5 backup guard is charged along with his best friend, former high school teammate DeShawn Anderson, 19. A July 6 hearing was set in Fresno Superior Court.
At a news conference Wednesday in Salt Lake City, Jazz officials said they didn't know enough about the case to take action.
``Should he have been in a position that supposedly he was in? No. Do we know what that position was? No. So to support him or to say he was wrong, I don't want to say either one until we know more,'' Jazz vice president Kevin O'Connor said.
Stevenson, a Fresno native who went to Washington Union High School in nearby Easton, faces up to three years in state prison if convicted of the felony.
He could immediately be reached for comment, and no one was home at his parent's house.
Anderson, who has an unlisted number, also could not be contacted.
The girl -- who was not named because of her age and the nature of the charges -- told police the two basketball players and another former high school teammate took her and a 15-year-old girlfriend to a Howard Johnson motel after buying a large bottle of brandy.
At the motel, Stevenson checked in using his credit card -- but put Anderson's name on the register, according to a Fresno police report.
Both girls told police officers they got drunk willingly on brandy and Coke served by Stevenson. The 14-year-old girl said she had consensual sex with Stevenson. The 15-year-old girl said she had consensual sex with Anderson.
The police report said everyone left the motel together the morning of June 6, and the girls were dropped off at the 15-year-old girl's house. The 14-year-old girl's mother later called police.
The mother then confronted Stevenson in a recorded telephone conversation, the police report said. In that conversation, police said Stevenson admitted providing the booze and having sex with the woman's daughter. He also said Anderson had sex with the other girl.
Stevenson's agent, Rob Pelinka, would not comment. Stevenson's lawyer in the case, Roger Litman, did not immediately return calls from The Associated Press.
This was Stevenson's second brush with the law in Fresno since he was drafted in the first round by Utah last year, the 23rd pick overall.
On the night he was drafted, Stevenson was accused of taking part in a brawl at a high school basketball game. Stevenson said he was jumped by five men after signing autographs and pleaded innocent to misdemeanor charges of fighting in a public place.
Stevenson was expected to be in court facing those charges Monday.
