MSU DE Auston Robertson Charged with Criminal Sexual Misconduct

Submitted by EastCoast Esq. on

It has now been revealed that former 4-star DE Auston Robertson was suspended on April 9th due to a charge of third-degree sexual misconduct (h/t Garrett Fishaw).

 

Michigan State's Auston Robertson has been charged with third-degree criminal sexual conduct stemming from an April 9 incident.

— Dan Murphy (@DanMurphyESPN) April 21, 2017

http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2017/04/msu_football_player_auston_rob.html

 

You may remember Robertson as the highly ranked Spartan recruit who "re-opened" his recruitment temporarily after a previous charge of battery delayed his signing.

http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2016/02/4-star_indiana_de_auston_rober.html

Of note, Auston Robertson was the #2 ranked player in MSU's 2016 class.

[ED:BiSB - I tweaked the headline and text slighty. We're going to tread very lightly on this topic]

Guy Fawkes

April 21st, 2017 at 11:09 AM ^

Can't sell results when 3 of the top players MSU has signed in year aren't even on the roster next season. MSU broke the moral stick in half on this one. Robertson didn't have the character to be a D1 athlete yet msu made it happen. He'll be a star at EMCC though

lhglrkwg

April 21st, 2017 at 12:14 PM ^

When you have trouble landing top 100 talent normally, you've gotta start taking stabs at some of these question recruits. Schools like Bama, OSU, Michigan, etc. can afford to say pass on the head cases.

Then again, I do feel this is a culture problem at MSU. I can't imagine Robertson, King, and Corley all flaming out immediately at a Michigan or an Ohio State

ST3

April 21st, 2017 at 11:13 AM ^

"We will continue to educate and enforce high standards for the program," Dantonio said. "I expect all of our players to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects the values and principles of Michigan State University."

When I think of Michigan State's values and principles, the first thing that comes to mind is not high standards.

http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2017/04/msu_football_player_und…

Everyone Murders

April 21st, 2017 at 11:20 AM ^

This is a serious charge - a fifteen year felony.  Here's the statute:

750.520d Criminal sexual conduct in the third degree; felony. Sec. 520d. (1) A person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree if the person engages in sexual penetration with another person and if any of the following circumstances exist:
(a) That other person is at least 13 years of age and under 16 years of age.
(b) Force or coercion is used to accomplish the sexual penetration. Force or coercion includes but is not limited to any of the circumstances listed in section 520b(1)(f)(i) to (v).
(c) The actor knows or has reason to know that the victim is mentally incapable, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless.
(d) That other person is related to the actor by blood or affinity to the third degree and the sexual penetration occurs under circumstances not otherwise prohibited by this chapter. It is an affirmative defense to a prosecution under this subdivision that the other person was in a position of authority over the defendant and used this authority to coerce the defendant to violate this subdivision. The defendant has the burden of proving this defense by a preponderance of the evidence. This subdivision does not apply if both persons are lawfully married to each other at the time of the alleged violation.
(e) That other person is at least 16 years of age but less than 18 years of age and a student at a public school or nonpublic school, and either of the following applies:
(i) The actor is a teacher, substitute teacher, or administrator of that public school, nonpublic school, school district, or intermediate school district. This subparagraph does not apply if the other person is emancipated or if both persons are lawfully married to each other at the time of the alleged violation. (ii) The actor is an employee or a contractual service provider of the public school, nonpublic school, school district, or intermediate school district in which that other person is enrolled, or is a volunteer who is not a student in any public school or nonpublic school, or is an employee of this state or of a local unit of government of this state or of the United States assigned to provide any service to that public school, nonpublic school, school district, or intermediate school district, and the actor uses his or her employee, contractual, or volunteer status to gain access to, or to establish a relationship with, that other person.
(f) That other person is at least 16 years old but less than 26 years of age and is receiving special education services, and either of the following applies:
(i) The actor is a teacher, substitute teacher, administrator, employee, or contractual service provider of the public school, nonpublic school, school district, or intermediate school district from which that other person receives the special education services. This subparagraph does not apply if both persons are lawfully married to each other at the time of the alleged violation. (ii) The actor is a volunteer who is not a student in any public school or nonpublic school, or is an employee of this state or of a local unit of government of this state or of the United States assigned to provide any service to that public school, nonpublic school, school district, or intermediate school district, and the actor uses his or her employee, contractual, or volunteer status to gain access to, or to establish a relationship with, that other person.
(g) The actor is an employee, contractual service provider, or volunteer of a child care organization, or a person licensed to operate a foster family home or a foster family group home, in which that other person is a resident, that other person is at least 16 years of age, and the sexual penetration occurs during that other person's residency. As used in this subdivision, "child care organization", "foster family home", and "foster family group home" mean those terms as defined in section 1 of 1973 PA 116, MCL 722.111.

(2) Criminal sexual conduct in the third degree is a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 15 years.

Prosecutors don't charge this stuff lightly, so nothing in my eyes to celebrate here.  I hope that justice - whatever that means here given the facts we don't know - is served.

potomacduc

April 21st, 2017 at 1:51 PM ^

Also note that he had entered into a pre-trial diversion program for his previous assault charge on March 11, 2016. He was supposed to keep his nose clean for one year. Ooops. If he is convicted of these allegations and the offense was on or before March 11, he will also presumably face additional sanctions for the previous offense.

truferblue22

April 21st, 2017 at 11:21 AM ^

Nice of them to ignore all the red flags that came along with this kid. Well done, sparty....this should come as minimal surprise to you. maybe hold yourself to a higher standard next time? I know that's not really your M.O. but....

Champeen

April 21st, 2017 at 11:21 AM ^

Who are the 3 for 2016?

The 3 top players that year were Josh King, Auston Robertson and Donnie Corley.  3 of the top 5 players in that class were on the DL.  It was a really good DL class, so losing Robertson is pretty big.

King was the stud - they did not lose him did they?

reshp1

April 21st, 2017 at 12:59 PM ^

Well, staff ignoring or actively trying to suppress this stuff from seeing the light of day would constitute LOIC. Curtis Blackwell is currently suspended. Depending on how deep it goes, it's not that far of a stretch.

YoOoBoMoLloRoHo

April 21st, 2017 at 11:30 AM ^

involved King, Coley and Vance based on comments by MSU students and others. Some other players are also in Dantonio's Purgatory for alleged incidents over the last several months. Considering MSU hasn't even announced Robertson's dismissal from the team, I doubt MSU ever communicates any of these incidents as they are scrambling to keep the scraps of talent left on the roster.

Champeen

April 21st, 2017 at 11:43 AM ^

Well if they lose those 4, MSU willl basically be dogshit again on the field.  That is a very, very huge loss.

I figured MSU would be a .500 team this year, but man - they will not even be .500 without those 4 if they indeed lose all of them.

Blue_In_Texas

April 21st, 2017 at 11:23 AM ^

Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said in a statement at the time that "we will continue to educate and enforce high standards for the program."

 

... Guess i missed the part where they were enforcing high standards for their program.