A pair of Penn State football players who were dismissed from the team this past August are being charged with felonies, including rape, per online court docket documents.
The players are Jameial Lyons, who played defensive end at Penn State for more than a season, and Kavieon Keys, a linebacker from the same class.
In late July, word got out that the two players had been suspended. Days later, it was confirmed that they were no longer with the program or enrolled at the University. The felony charges came down more than two months later.
Per the docket, Lyons is being charged with rape, aggravated indecent assault without consent, indecent assault, voluntary deviant sexual intercourse and invasion of privacy.
Per Keysโ docket sheet, heโs being charged with rape, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, and indecent assault.
The Centre Daily Times first reported that the docket sheets were online, which indicated that charges would be coming, and these charges stem from an alleged incident that took place this past July in State College.
โNo defense lawyers were listed on the dockets sheets, which are summaries of court case proceedings and filings,โ wrote Bret Pallotta of the CDT. โAffidavits of probable cause โ documents that detail police investigations and evidence prosecutors have gathered โ were not immediately released. The suspects are to be arraigned Wednesday by District Judge Don Hahn. His office said Tuesday the affidavits would be released after Keys and Lyons are arraigned.โ
Lyons was expected by many to breakout in his second season.
Lyons came to Penn State after a standout career at Philadelphiaโs Roman Catholic High School. As a senior, Lyons finished with 64 tackles and six sacks, helping his team to a 9-3 record. Lyons also played at Bishop McDevitt High School in PA, helping the squad to a Catholic league championship as a freshman. After his sophomore year, Bishop McDevitt closed. Lyons was a four-star prospect, committing to Penn State in April 2022 over Boston College, Cincinnati, Nebraska and West Virginia, among others.
Mostย freshmen redshirt their first season. Lyons didnโt do that. He appeared in eight of Penn Stateโs 13 games, ending the season with six tackles (two solo), a sack, 2.5 tackles for loss and a quarterback hurray. The sack took place against Delaware in Week 2, and it didnโt look pleasant for the QB.
Keys was a team captain for two seasons at Richmondโs Varina High School, helping the team to a state championship as a junior. That junior season was also successful for Keys from an individual standpoint. He was named first-team all-state. In his senior season the next year, Keys finished with 70 tackles (nine for loss) and 11 sacks. He committed to North Carolina in Aug. 2022, but de-committed in December. Five days before signing day, the four-star recruit announced his commitment to Penn State.
Keys would have likely competed with veteran will Dom DeLuca for playing time at the SAM linebacker position.
The arraignment date for Lyons and Keys is set for Wednesday, Oct. 23, per the docket. The two also have preliminary hearings set for the following Wednesday morning, Oct. 30.
