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Ex-Spartan Football Players Avoid Jail In Sex Assault Case

Ex MSU Football Players Accused of Sexual Assault
From Left to Right Joshua King, Demetric Vance, Donnie Corley Jr.

Three former Michigan State University football players accused in the sexual assault of a woman have avoided jail time after pleading guilty to reduced charges.

Ingham County Circuit Judge Rosemaire Aquilna sentenced Josh King, Donnie Corley Jr. and Demetric Vance to three years' probation on Wednesday, as well as sex offender treatment and therapy. 

The Lansing State Journal reports the three men must complete 100 hours of community service and stay off dating apps and websites such as Tinder. Judge Aquilina also issued a 365-day suspended jail sentence, which they won’t serve unless they violate probation.

Their court records will be sealed because Judge Aquilina sentenced them under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, which allows judges to close the records of young offenders as long as they meet the terms of their agreement and do not commit any future offenses.

King, Corley, and Vance were accused of sexually assaulting a woman in an apartment bathroom at an East Lansing party in January of 2017.

In April of this year, the three pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of felony seduction, punishable by up to five years in jail.

Previously, King faced up to life in prison for first and third degree criminal sexual conduct. Corley and Vance were each looking at up to fifteen years for third degree criminal sexual conduct.

MSU head coach Mark Dantonio dismissed all three football players from the team in June of 2017 and they were later dismissed from the school.

 

The LSJ reported from the courtroom that Karen Truszkowski, an attorney who represents the victim in the case, read a victim impact statement at the sentencing on Wednesday on behalf of her client. The client wrote in the statement that she has PTSD and accepted the plea deal for her own mental health.

Truszkowski tells WILX-TV it was best for her client to agree to the plea agreement to avoid a trial.

 

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