After nearly four months of uncertainty, the identities of the trio of suspended Michigan State football players have been revealed.
Monday, the Ingham County Prosecutors Office announced that it would be charging three unidentified MSU Spartans in connection to an alleged sexual assault that took place on Jan. 16 at an off-campus apartment complex. Tuesday, arrest warrants for third-degree criminal sexual misconduct, a felony, were issued for wide receiver Donnie Corley, defensive end Josh King and defensive back Demetric Vance.
Additionally, King was charged with one count each of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and capturing/distributing an image of an unclothed person.
Not long after the warrants were issued and charges were announced, head coach Mark Dantonio released a lengthy statement announcing that all three players have been dismissed from his football program. Below is the statement, in its entirety.With the criminal sexual conduct charges filed against Josh King, Donnie Corley and Demetric Vance, I have decided that regardless of the final outcome of the criminal process, these three individuals have been dismissed from our program, effective immediately.
“When we choose student-athletes to come to MSU, we enter into a relationship with them and their families, and we welcome them into ours. We emphasize that success on the field is not enough, as I made clear when all three individuals were suspended four months ago upon us learning of the allegations. They also must embrace our core principles, which include integrity, respect and accountability. The individuals in this case put themselves in a compromising position and did not live up to the standards we have outlined for our program.
“Sexual assault has no place in our community, and I want to share my deep concern for the young woman affected and her family.
“This is an extremely challenging situation that we have taken very seriously and has affected everyone in this program. The high standards I have established for this program will not change, and the values that we teach to everyone in this program will be enforced. I expect all of our players and staff to conduct themselves in a manner that reflect the ideals of this university.
The most noteworthy of the players from a football perspective is Corley.
As a true freshman last season, Corley finished second on the team with 453 receiving yards, while his 33 receptions and three receiving touchdowns were third. With the departures of Josiah Price and R.J. Shelton for the NFL, Corley was to have been MSU’s leading returning receiver.
That honor now falls to junior Felton Davis III (12-150-1).
King was a four-star 2016 signee who started two of the nine games in which he played as a true freshman. A four-star 2016 signee as well, Vance took a redshirt last season.