Gareon Conley. (Getty)
A 23-year-old woman has accused one of the top prospects in this week’s NFL Draft of raping her at a hotel in Cleveland earlier this month.
Gareon Conley, a 22-year-old former Ohio State cornerback expected to be a first round pick, has not been charged in the case, but was named as a suspect in a police report obtained by Heavy on Tuesday.
The woman reported the rape to police on the morning of April 9 just after she said it occurred. She was hospitalized for treatment and received a rape kit. She told police she met Conley in an elevator at the hotel after returning with her friends. She said she went back to his room, where Conley asked if she wanted to have group sex with his friend and his friend’s girlfriend. The woman told police that she declined that offer, and Conley then raped her, before kicking her out of the room.
Conley’s attorney denied the accusation.
“There was no sexual assault,” attorney Kevin Spellacy told Cleveland.com. “We’ve cooperated fully with the police. I actually reached out to them before they even asked us.”
“At this time, no warrant has been issued and no formal charges have been filed,” Cleveland Police Sergeant Jennifer Ciaccia said in a statement to Heavy. “This remains an open investigation within the Cleveland Division of Police Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit. No further information is available at this time.”
You can read the full report below:
You can also read the police narrative from the report below:
On April 9, 2017 while assigned to zone car 9634 in company with PO Pesta #576 we received a radio assignment for a possible sexual assault at 777 St. Clair. Below are the details of this incident.
Upon our arrival we were met by the victim (redacted) who stated she was raped by a male in room 1621 of the Weston Hotel. (Redacted) was out with some friends that she walked back to the Westin Hotel with at 0245 hrs. While riding the elevator with her friends they she met the named suspect (Gareon Rashad Conley.) (Redacted) decided not to go with her friends and go with Conley to his room. While in the room, (Redacted) said another male, witness 1 (Redacted) was in the room with a black female. (Witness 1) and the black female went into the bathroom. (The victim) said while they were in the bathroom she began to hear some commotion going on. At the same time, Conley asked (Redacted) if she wanted to have a foursome with the couple in the bathroom. She told Conley she wanted to watch the couple in the bathroom. (Redacted) only said this to Conley to try and avoid having sex with Conley all together. (The victim) got up from the bed and walked to the bathroom. (Redacted) said the black female (redacted). At this time Conley was behind (Redacted). (Redacted) said Conley reach into his sock and grabbed (Redacted) spun around and unbuttoned her pants. (Redacted) was spun back around and Conley pulled her pants down. Conley bent (Redacted) over in the bathroom and began to (Redacted). During the sexual act, (Redacted) was saying, “no stop, it hurts!” After a few minutes Conley was done and kicked (Redacted) out of the room. (Redacted) described Conley as a black male who wouldn’t take his sunglasses off and had an Ohio State tattoo on his left forearm.
Myself, PO Pesta, Sgt Harris #9146 and off duty Sgt. Smith #9134 went up to room #1621. We knocked on the door and no one answered. Sgt. Harris asked Sgt. Smith to get a room card key so we could get into the room. When we gained entry to the room 2 black males were sleeping. Witness 1 (Redacted) was sleeping in the bed closest to the window and witness 2 (Redacted) was sleeping in the chair next to the window. After (Redacted) gathered himself he admitted him and his girlfriend (the black female who did not want to make a statement) hooked up and he kicked her out. When (Redacted) was asked about the white girl (Redacted) he said he didn’t touch her. (Redacted) said his best friend, Gareon R. Conley, was with the white girl. (Redacted) said Conley never touched her and the white girl got mad because she got kicked out of the room. Witness 2 (Redacted) said he was sitting in the chair by the window the whole time Conley and (the victim) were in the room. (Redacted) said Conley and (Redacted) were relaying (sic) on the bed together, but nothing happened. (Redacted) said the room is in Conley’s name, but did not know where he was at the time of this interview.
Sgt. Gomes #9135 on scene to interview the victim (redacted). WCS #4811.
While in the room no evidence was found. The room was in normal shape.
EMS #1 conveyed victim to Metro Hospital for a rape kit and treatment.
I attempted to interview (Redacted) at the hospital, with negative results. (Redacted) just keep saying she wanted to go home and that her dignity was stripped from her in a manner of minutes. (Redacted) did not talk to me after that.
Rape kit to be picked up by day shift.
WCS #3466 #9223
Request Sex Crimes to follow up.
Conley’s attorney, Kevin Spellacy, denied the accusations in an interview with WOIO-TV. He said they are “ludicrous and ridiculous.”
Spellacy told the news station, “In my opinion this young lady is an opportunist and it’s actually despicable.”
He said Conley was never alone with the accuser and he said he has three witnesses who can testify his client did nothing wrong.
On Wednesday, TMZ obtained video showing the accuser at the same bar as Conley, contradicting the police report, which claims they first met in the hotel elevator:
The surveillance video, recorded about 2:20 a.m., shows Conley leaving the Barley House with the accuser and her friends nearby. The video shows the accuser reaching out and appearing to touch Conley’s back. Outside the bar, the woman can be seen appearing to grab Conley’s arm.
The accuser’s attorney told TMZ he stands by his client’s claims that she was raped, and said the police report released to the public is “incomplete.”
Also on Wednesday, Conley’s agent released a statement from the Ohio State star:
The allegations against me concerning the night of April 8/9 that have recently been reported in multiple media outlets are completely false. I did not commit a crime and have not been charged with a crime.
I pride myself on doing things the right way on and off the field. The things being said about me and what happened that night are not true and don’t fit my character at all. I realize that I put myself in the situation and I could have used better judgement. However, I have worked tirelessly to put myself in position to have the honor of being an NFL draft pick and these untrue allegations are putting a huge cloud over my name and the NFL draft.
These allegations appear to be an attempt to ruin this once in a lifetime experience for me and my family. There were several witnesses, including another female, who were present the entire time and have given statements that give an accurate account of what took place. We also have video evidence that further discredit and disprove other versions of these events. I am upset but realize that I am powerless when false accusations are made and people try to convict you in the court of public opinion. It’s sad that your name can get dragged through the mud based upon untrue and malicious allegations alone.
I am completely confident that as the facts actually come out my name will be cleared. I was excited about participating in Thursday’s draft but I have decided that it would be selfish for me to stay and be a distraction to the NFL, the other players, and their families who have worked just as hard as me to enjoy the experience so I will not be in attendance.
I hope and look forward to the honor of being an NFL player and working to be the best representative, player, person, and teammate that I can be for the team and the community I will be in.
Conley has risen up draft boards since he declared for the NFL Draft in January. According to draft experts, Conley is projected to be picked in the middle of the first round.
Conley was originally projected as a second or third round pick, but his stock went up after workouts and the NFL Combine. Brett Fischer, a physical therapist for the Arizona Cardinals who helped train Conley, told ESPN Conley is a great athlete who is just as impressive as other top corners he has worked with, including Darrelle Revis, Eli Apple and Devin McCourty.
“He’s so cool and collected. He’s amazing. He’s a veteran. Ohio State prepared him for this process. He’s seasoned. You get a kid like this and you’re like, ‘Wow.’ I forget he’s a rookie. He’s taken anything — ‘Hey, this is what we want you to get better in’ — and he takes it to the next level. He gets it,” Fishcher told ESPN.
“I feel like I handle pressure well,” Conley told ESPN in article posted April 21. “I feel like that’s one of my assets that sets me apart from other people: my mental focus and mental ability to handle adversity.”
Conley will not be attending the draft, according to NFL.com:
The rape accusation could cause Conley to fall out of the first round, if it is not cleared up by Thursday. A team considering taking Conley in the first round told Pro Football Talk that they would not be able to take him if police had not cleared Conley by the start of the draft.
In 2015, LSU offensive lineman La’el Collins was linked to a double homicide in Baton Rouge just days before the draft, according to Sports Illustrated. Collins was never a suspect in the killing, but because his name was connected to the case, he dropped all the way out of the draft. He was later signed as an undrafted free agent by the Dallas Cowboys, but lost millions.
(Getty)
Conley was a captain and starting cornerback for the Ohio State Buckeyes last season. It was his second year as a starter, according to the Buckeyes website.
He had four interceptions, tied for second on the team, broke up eight passed and had 26 tackles, earning Second-Team All-Big Ten honors.
Conley played in 15 games his freshman season on a team that won the national championship, contributing mostly on special teams. He became a starter his sophomore year, starting in 13 games and earning All-Big Ten honorable mention honors with 49 tackles and two interceptions, along with five pass break-ups and a blocked punt.
He graduated from Ohio State in December 2016 with a degree in sports industry, WOIO-TV reported.
Conley is a native of Massillon, Ohio, according to the Buckeyes website. He played football at Washington High School in his hometown and was rated the top player in the state by ESPN after his senior year.
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