Former Penn State football players raped 17-year-old girl in campus apartment: police

Note: This story has been updated to include additional details about a second victim listed in the probable cause affidavit.

Two former Penn State football players have been charged with rape and related offenses after police say they sexually assaulted a 17-year-old university student in their on-campus apartment following a night of partying in July, according to a probable cause affidavit filed Wednesday.

Jameial J. Lyons, 19, – who played eight games for the Nittany Lions as a rookie in 2023 – is charged with rape, aggravated assault without consent, intentional deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated assault without consent, indecent assault without consent of another, and invasion of privacy without consent .

Kaveion A. Keys, 19, – who redshirted for Penn State University in 2023 – is charged with rape, aggravated indecent assault without consent, sexual assault and indecent assault without consent of others.

The affidavit states that the victim, a woman, met Lyons and Keys at an off-campus party on July 6 and hung out with the two until the early morning hours of July 7. When the party ended, the victim went to an on-campus apartment where Lyons and Keys lived, the affidavit states.

The victim told police that she and the two other girls were given alcohol at the off-campus party and at Lyons and Keys' apartment.

The victim had previously communicated with Lyons via Instagram and text messages, but said she did not have a formal relationship with either man.

As the other two women fell asleep on the couch, the 17-year-old was watching television with Lyons and Keys in Keys' bedroom, according to the affidavit. While in the room, Lyons and Keys smoked marijuana, which the victim said made the victim feel even more impaired, the affidavit states.

As the victim tried to fall asleep on Keys' bed, Keys and Lyons approached her from either side and began touching her breasts and penetrating her with their fingers, the affidavit said. According to police, she was also forced to perform oral sex on both men.

The victim told investigators she tried to push Lyons and Keys away as they began to rape her, but was unable to do so because of their size.

At one point during the attack, the victim's arms were tied behind his back while he was choked and grabbed by the neck, the affidavit said. Keys also stepped on the girl's head, pinning it into the mattress while covering her ear with his foot.

The girl also said she saw a camera flash during the attack and believes Lyons and Keys took a video of the rape.

The victim was eventually able to physically resist Lyons and Keys and escape, police said. She tried to wake the other two women on the couch and swore at the men before Lyons picked her up, carried her down the hallway and dropped her on the floor outside, according to the affidavit.

“(Expletive) You will never come back here again,” Lyons told the victim. “Stay out of our lives.”

One of the women, who had fallen asleep on the couch, woke up during the commotion and said she saw the victim being carried out of the apartment, the affidavit states.

On July 8, Penn State University police served a search warrant at the apartment and spoke with Lyons and Keys.

Keys confirmed that there were women in the apartment on July 7, but denied knowing the 17-year-old victim or having had sexual contact.

When officers spoke with Lyons, he admitted to having sex with the victim and said Keys participated, but denied recording a video, the affidavit said. He also said he believed the sexual contact was consensual but was aware that the victim “would likely report the situation to police,” the affidavit said.

Lyons also demonstrated how he held the victim's arm and grabbed her neck. According to police, a short video was found on Keys' phone showing indecent contact with the victim and Lyons admitted he made it during sexual contact.

One of the women who fell asleep on the couch was also sexually assaulted by Lyons that night, the affidavit said. After Lyons carried the 17-year-old girl out of the apartment, the second victim woke up and vomited in the bathroom before Lyons led her to his bed, police said.

The woman, whose age was not listed in the affidavit, said she remembered being fully clothed when she fell asleep in Lyon's bed. The next time she woke up, she didn't have her pants on and Lyons touched and penetrated her with his fingers, the affidavit says.

Lyons and Keys were both highly rated prospects in Penn State's 2023 recruiting class. Lyons, a Philadelphia native and Roman Catholic standout, was a four-star overall prospect. Keys was also a four-star recruit after a successful career at Varina High School in Virginia.

Lyons and Keys were cut from Penn State's football program in August and neither is still enrolled at the university, a team spokesperson confirmed to PennLive.

“We are aware of the serious allegations against Mr Keys and Mr Lyons, who are no longer enrolled at the university. The safety of our community is our top priority, and Penn State takes any report of sexual assault or misconduct very seriously and investigates all reports,” a university spokesperson said.

Bail was set at $500,000 for Lyons and $400,000 for Keys, according to court documents. Preliminary hearings for both are scheduled for October 30.