A 7-foot-tall former high school basketball player and son of an ex-NFL player is accused of raping an 18-year-old woman in Kentucky, authorities say. Jacob “Jake” Walter held down the victim and raped her until she bled, the Boone County Sheriff’s Department said in a press release.
Walter, 18, is the son of former NFL player Joe Walter. He was charged with one count of first-degree rape and two counts of first-degree sodomy, all felony charges, the sheriff’s department said. The incident occurred on Sunday, December 9, police say. He remained in custody Tuesday and could not be reached for comment. It is not clear if he has hired an attorney.
According to WCPO-TV, Walter was previously accused of rape and convicted in juvenile court. He was required to register as a juvenile sex offender.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Walter Is Accused of Choking the Victim, Ignoring Her Pleas for Him to Stop & Laughing at Her & Telling Her She Would Be Fine, Police Say
18-year-old Jacob Walter has been arrested. He is accused of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old female victim. Deputies say he forcibly raped the victim while choking her. He also allegedly laughed and told her she would be fine. Walter is being held on 250,000 bond @FOX19
The 18-year-old victim told police she was afraid to have sex with Jake Walter because of the 7-foot, 300-pound man’s size, so she told him no and that she wasn’t feeling well, the Boone County Sheriff’s Department said in the press release. But the woman says Walter then began to rape her.
According to the sheriff’s department, the woman said Walter raped and choked her, ignoring her pleas for him to stop because he was hurting her. “Walter dismissed the victim by laughing at her and telling her that she would be fine,” Sergeant Philip Ridgell said in a statement to the press.
Family members of the woman were able to convince Walter to leave the home after she told them about the assault and they later called police, according to the press release. Investigators said a medical examination on the victim found bruises and multiple lacerations on the woman’s body.
Investigators said Walter repeatedly sent apologetic text messages and called the victim to say he was sorry, according to the press release.
2. He Committed to Play College Basketball at Xavier University, but Did Not Enroll After Being Accused of Rape in a Separate Incident
Jake Walter will sign his National Letter of Intent to play basketball at Xavier University #NextLevelExposure
Jake Walter played high school basketball at Covington Catholic High School in Park Hills, Kentucky. He graduated from the high school earlier this year. Walter, a center, committed to play college basketball at Xavier University in Ohio, but he did not enroll at the school in the fall.
Walter was not listed on the Muskateers roster ahead of the 2018-2019 season, leading to questions from the fanbase about what happened. The Athletic reported that Walter was not attending the university because of an undisclosed legal matter that occurred in May. Details of that incident were never made public because of Walter’s age, according to The Athletic.
According to WCPO-TV, the previous incident was also a sexual assault accusation. Walter was eventually convicted in that case and sentenced to house arrest and supervision by the Department of Juvenile Justice for up to 3 years, the news station reports. He was also required to register as a juvenile sex offender.
In that previous case, which occurred just weeks before his 18th birthday, Walter also refused the victim’s requests for him to stop during the assault. The news station reports that the victim recorded a phone call in which he admitted to doing it despite her requests to stop.
After his arrest on December 11, Xavier University told reporters that Walter would not be joining the team and a scholarship spot was not going to be held for him.
3. Walter’s Father Played for the Cincinnati Bengals for 13 Years Before Retiring & Starting a Media Company in Kentucky
Joe Walter in 1996.
Walter is the son of former Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Joe Walter. His father, a Dallas native, played for the Bengals as a tackle for 13 seasons, from 1985 to 1997, after playing college football at Texas Tech University.
After his NFL career, Joe Walter moved to Kentucky and started Joe Walter Media Management, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. Jake Walter and his family live in Burlington, Kentucky.
4. He Faces Up to 60 Years in Prison if Convicted of the Charges
Jake Walter is headed North of the river to continue his basketball career with @XavierMBB #DevelopedHere #LetsGoX
The Boone County Sheriff’s Department says Jacob Walter is facing three charges: one count of first-degree rape and two counts of first-degree sodomy. The charges are all class B felonies.
According to Kentucky state law, a class B felony is punishable by a prison term of between 10 to 20 years, along with fines and probation. He could also be required to register as a sex offender.
5. Walter Is Being Held on $250,000 Bail at the Boone County Detention Center
Jake Walter is being held at the Boone County Detention Center.
Jake Walter is being held on $250,000 bail at the Boone County Detention Center, online records show. He was booked into the jail on December 11, records show.
It is not clear when Walter is scheduled to appear in court.
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